Illicit discharges, global waste trade, and microplastic contamination in irrigation canals: evidence from Adana, Turkey

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-026-15263-8

In recent years, Turkey has emerged as a global hub for plastic waste processing, primarily fueled by imports from countries such as the UK and members of the European Union. This study investigates the environmental impacts of illegal wastewater discharges from plastic recycling facilities (PRFs) in Adana, a major plastic waste import hub in Turkey. The region’s canal networks, used extensively for agricultural irrigation and linked to the Seyhan River and the Mediterranean Sea, are increasingly exposed to unregulated PRF effluent. Water samples collected upstream and downstream of canals showed MP concentrations ranging from 16.5 to 2174.5 MPs/L, with a fold increase of up to 132× downstream. Estimated MP fluxes exceeded 5.3 billion MPs/h. Polymeric analysis identified a predominance of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. Notably, pellets and industrial copolymers were found exclusively downstream, confirming a direct recycling origin. This research provides evidence supporting calls for stricter import bans, mandatory MP filtration, and global accountability frameworks to address the toxic legacy of plastic waste colonialism.