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07 January 2025

Director of Climate Change Prof. Hasar attended the signing ceremony of the cooperation protocol for the establishment of the Deposit Field Management System (DFMS). At the ceremony chaired by Minister Murat Kurum, a cooperation protocol was signed to establish the Deposit Field Management System, which will mark a new phase of the Zero Waste Movement. At the signing ceremony held at the social facilities of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen, and the Turkish Environment Agency took part as stakeholder institutions. The deposit system to be implemented is expected to deliver major recovery gains, with projections indicating that Türkiye will generate annual benefits of EUR 520 million.

Indicating that the system will be rolled out gradually and that every province and district in Türkiye will have transitioned to the deposit system by the end of the year, Minister Kurum noted that, as the system aligns with circular economy principles, it will also accelerate progress toward the 2053 Net Zero Emissions target. Minister Kurum highlighted that Türkiye generates around 30-35 million tons of solid waste each year, with beverage packaging accounting for 20-25% of that in terms of volume. “To manage this substantial waste effectively, we established the Turkish Environmental Agency,” he said.

“We've begun the infrastructure work for the Deposit Management System, which will contribute €520 million annually to our country and will be a crucial step in the Zero Waste Project, led by First Lady Emine Erdoğan. We partnered with the Mint and Stamp Printing House to implement the registration and labeling process for beverage packaging. Over 20 billion beverages have now been introduced with deposit-labeled packaging.”

Minister Kurum pointed out that the second phase of the project is transitioning to the National Deposit System, and made the following remarks:

“In our country, we will be laying the foundation for a recycling system that we can leave as a legacy for future generations”

We conducted thorough consultations with relevant institutions, industry associations, retailers, and beverage producers. Based on these consultations, we decided that the field operations would be managed by a structure that includes industry associations representing beverage producers and retailers, similar to models used across Europe. We've reached an agreement to create an institutional framework through a company formed by the partnership of TÜÇA, TOBB, and TESK. This cooperation protocol is not only the result of our efforts but also the beginning of a promising new chapter. With this collaboration, we will swiftly establish the corporate structure, laying the foundation for a recycling system that we can leave as a legacy for future generations.

“The System Will Roll Out Nationwide in 2025”

Packaging will no longer cause environmental pollution on streets, beaches, and in parks, and we will not allow forest fires to occur. Packaging will no longer be waste; it will become raw material for deposit return machines, and the Deposit Management System will serve 85 million citizens. God willing, we will gradually roll out this system nationwide in 2025, starting with a pilot in Sakarya. By the end of the year, we plan to have established the national deposit system, with machines and infrastructure set up in every province and district.

“The System Will Accelerate the Efforts towards the 2053 Net Zero Emissions Target"

Once the system becomes operational, citizens will initially receive incentives for each package they return. While preventing bottles from polluting the environment, we will also encourage zero-waste habits in our citizens. This system, with its high added value, aligns with the principles of a circular economy, which will help us accelerate our 2053 Net Zero Emissions target. Moreover, as we’ve always said, the European Green Deal, announced in 2019, is not just a climate policy; it also represents an economic transformation, bringing new commercial restrictions. In this context, every piece of production and employment in Türkiye using recycled materials will help us bypass international trade barriers. The signing ceremony, which Director Hasar attended as a participant, broght together TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen President Bendevi Palandöken, Turkish Environment Agency President Prof. Ferhat Pirinççi, and numerous invited guests.

WHAT IS DOA?

Deposit-Return Packaging (DOA) is a digital application. Plastic, glass, and aluminum beverage packaging bearing the DOA logo can be returned to deposit return machines integrated into this system. For each returned package, an incentive amount determined under the scheme will be credited to the citizen’s e-wallet account. This will ensure that beverage packaging waste is collected separately and cleanly at source and directed to recycling. Thanks to the system, approximately 25 billion packages are projected to be collected and recycled annually across Türkiye’s 783,000 km?2; territory.