The previous year ÇEVKO Foundation had organized the International Circular Economy Congress in Turkey. This year the foundation’s target is continuity in thought and action in terms of circular economy with a series of workshops. The first of these, the New Plastics Economy Workshop was held on May 2nd 2018 with the participation of 31 representatives.

At the presentation by ÇEVKO Foundation, the work of the Ellen McArthur Foundation titled “New Plastics Economy” was taken into hand, and it was pointed out that 30% by weight of the current plastic packagings could not be reused or recycled without basic design and innovation. It was also stated that reusing would create an economic opportunity for at least 20% of plastic packaging materials; and the recycling of the remaining 50% would become economically attractive following the collaborative works on the design and post-use systems.

Another point which was stressed at the workshop was the fact that the plastics thrown away irresponsibly would lead to significant environmental problems albeit being important for the consumers, especially in the food sector, in terms of widespread and healthy access to products. It was agreed that the aim of the New Plastics Economy was to provide the collecting of the plastic packagings separately at the source, and to increase their reuse and recycling. Also at the workshop the efforts and the targets of the leading industrial companies in the reduction of plastic packagings and recycling were shared with the participants. In order for the New Plastics Economy to be put into practice, it was stressed that the producers of the goods making up the industrial value chain, packaging manufacturers, and all the other actors should take action together.

The Recycling of Plastics Has Resulted In Petrol Savings Equal to the Tanks of 3 Million Vehicles

General Secretary of ÇEVKO Foundation, Mete İmer pointed out the importance of the circular economy model in terms of sustainability. İmer said that the Circular Economy Package which was being studied in the EU for the past three years would eventually turn into legal regulations, and as this development would certainly affect our country as well, we should be prepared for it. He went on, “Getting clean packaging waste is becoming more and more important. Therefore, it is also important to increase the separate collecting of packaging waste at its source, and to develop the recycling system. ÇEVKO Foundation is the first organization authorized by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization of the Turkish Republic for the recovering of the packaging waste, and as such, is the natural leader of the issue.”