Farmers in Adana, southern Turkey, say imported plastic waste has brought debris, polluted waterways and recurring fires close to their fields and homes. Shipment records analysed for the Guardian found that 13 British companies sent 52,000 tonnes in 545 shipments to the Kemal Deniz recycling zone between May 2021 and July 2024.
The findings are reinforced by a peer-reviewed study published on March 29, 2026. Researchers found microplastic concentrations as high as 132 times upstream levels in some Adana canals, which carry water through agricultural land toward the Seyhan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
At a glance:
- The Kemal Deniz zone is less than a mile from one farmer’s aubergine fields.
- The published study measured downstream concentrations ranging from 16.5 to 2,174.5 microplastics per litre.
- The UK exported about 139,000 tonnes of plastic waste to Turkey in 2025, according to the Guardian’s analysis.
- UK exporters are required to ensure waste is managed in an environmentally sound way.
What farmers and residents are experiencing
Ayhan, whose name was changed, farms in the Çukurova plain, one of Turkey’s most productive agricultural regions. Plastic fragments collect along a waterway beside his fields, while he says fumes from nearby recycling operations leave a black coating on greenhouse tarps. In January, he said flooding destroyed seven hectares of crops.
Residents near the Kemal Deniz and Küçükdikili areas told the Guardian that waste fires send smoke over neighborhoods and fields several times a year. A fire at a facility near Küçükdikili burned for 36 hours last year, prompting residents and the Adana Ecology Platform to protest outside the city law courts.
What the research found in Adana’s canals
Marine biologist Sedat Gündoğdu and researcher Salim Avcıoğlu measured microplastics in canals upstream and downstream from recycling facilities. Their study in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment recorded concentrations from 16.5 to 2,174.5 particles per litre, with increases of up to 132 times downstream.
The researchers identified polyethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate, as well as pellets and industrial copolymers found only downstream. The canals are used for irrigation in parts of the region, and the network connects farmland to the Seyhan River and ultimately the Mediterranean Sea.
Why British waste is reaching Turkey
Turkey became a major destination for European plastic waste after China restricted imports in 2018. Adana now receives about 60% of Turkey’s plastic waste imports, according to environmental investigations cited by the Guardian. The EIA shipment analysis found that 13% of UK plastic waste sent to Turkey during the studied period went to Kemal Deniz.
The shipments themselves are not alleged to be illegal. However, UK rules require exporters to ship waste without endangering health and to ensure environmentally sound management during recovery. Current government guidance also requires exporters to provide information about destinations and the treatment sites involved.
What authorities and companies say
The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said strict controls already apply and that businesses must ensure exported waste is managed in an environmentally sound manner. Government guidance updated in June 2026 sets out additional information requirements for some exports from England outside the UK.
Eurokey said it used accredited partners and no longer sent plastic waste to Turkey. Vanden said it conducted assessments and supported stronger oversight, while acknowledging that individual operators could fail to comply. ProtoGreen declined to comment, and the Turkish government did not respond to the Guardian’s request.
Questions readers ask
Does the reporting establish that British companies broke the law?
No. The Guardian reported no suggestion that the companies acted illegally by shipping waste to Turkey. Their legal responsibility is to ensure the material is recovered in an environmentally sound manner, and regulators can investigate whether that obligation was met.
Does the study prove that UK waste caused all the pollution?
No. The study links elevated microplastic levels to recycling-facility discharges and identifies waste characteristic of processing. The shipment analysis shows British waste reached one zone, but it does not establish that every pollution source in Adana came from the UK.
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