UK plastic 'waste colonialism' found to be polluting Turkey's farming heartland

High levels of microplastics were found in a waterway near a Turkish recycling hub supplied by British companies. Sedat Gündoğdu said, "The discharge of microplastic-laden wastewater into irrigation canals raises critical concerns about agricultural contamination and food safety." Britain exported 139,000 tonnes of plastic waste to Turkey in 2025.