Türkiye will begin paying consumers 1 Turkish Lira for each eligible beverage container returned under its new Deposit Management System (DYS) from July 1, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has announced, as the country expands its flagship Zero Waste initiative.
Speaking at the ongoing Zero Waste Festival in Istanbul, Kurum said products bearing the “DOA” logo will be included in the system, which will be rolled out across chain supermarkets, restaurants, cafés, hospitals and shopping malls nationwide.
Under the scheme, consumers will be able to return plastic, glass, metal and carton beverage containers to designated collection points or reverse-vending machines and receive 1 lira per item through a digital wallet. The funds can then be withdrawn through partner banks or spent at participating retailers.
The minister stressed that the system would not impose any additional cost on consumers, saying the refund would be financed through fees already paid by producers and collected within the recycling framework.
According to the minister, the government expects the program to generate annual savings of 30 billion lira and recover up to 25 billion pieces of packaging waste for reuse in production. He said deposit-return machines and collection points will be available across all 81 provinces and 973 districts.
Kurum added that Türkiye’s current packaging collection rate stands at around 35 percent and that authorities aim to raise it to 90 percent.
The minister also announced plans to curb plastic pollution through new regulations expected in September. The measures would encourage the replacement of single-use plastic items such as straws, cutlery and food-service products with biodegradable, recyclable or renewable alternatives, including bamboo and wood-based materials.
Meanwhile, the four-day Zero Waste Festival, which opened on June 4 at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport and runs through June 7, continues to host hundreds of events showcasing renewable energy technologies, recycling projects, circular economy solutions and sustainable living initiatives.
