What happened

Turkey's deposit return system for beverage packaging, known as DOA (Depozitosu Olan Ambalajlar), reached 100.2 million containers collected by 11 August 2026. The national integration phase began on 1 July 2026, marking the scheme's nationwide launch across the country.

The composition of recovered materials reveals the dominance of single-use plastic in Turkey's beverage sector. Pet bottles accounted for 66.1 million units of the total haul, while aluminium drink cans reached 17 million and glass bottles totalled approximately 17 million. The five regions recording the highest collection volumes were Antalya, Istanbul, Kocaeli, Adana and Izmir.

According to Turkey's Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Ministry, which oversees the scheme, the rapid uptake demonstrates consumer engagement with the deposit mechanism across retail and foodservice networks nationwide.

Why it matters

The scheme forms a central pillar of Turkey's zero-waste initiative, channelling single-use beverage packaging back into recycling systems and away from landfills and natural environments. The 100 million milestone within six weeks signals strong market adoption of the deposit-return model among Turkish consumers and retailers.

High regional concentration in Antalya, Istanbul, Kocaeli, Adana and Izmir indicates geographic clustering aligned with tourism corridors, industrial hubs and urban population centres. This pattern suggests that collection infrastructure and consumer participation levels vary significantly across provinces, presenting both opportunities for scaling in lower-performing regions and operational lessons for optimising logistics in established hotspots.

Rapid container recovery also eases pressure on virgin material production and reduces plastic leakage into ecosystems, supporting Turkey's circular economy commitments within the framework of broader environmental and climate policy.

Background

DOA is Turkey's mandatory deposit-return system requiring consumers to pay a refundable deposit at purchase and receive funds back upon return of qualifying beverage containers. The scheme aligns with Turkey's circular economy strategy and sits within the country's zero-waste framework championed at policy level.