Health of Turkey’s plastic waste workers under threat as European imports grow 

A report by Human Rights Watch finds Turkish authorities are not enforcing a law to protect vulnerable workers and local residents from toxic fumes.
A worker sorts out plastic waste collected at a plastic recycling factory in Kartepe, district of Kocaelion, Turkey, May 11, 2022.
A worker sorts out plastic waste collected at a plastic recycling factory in Kartepe, district of Kocaelion, Turkey, May 11, 2022. - OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images
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Andrew Wilks
@AndyWilks61

ISTANBUL — Workers at plastic recycling plants, including child workers and nearby residents, are being exposed to serious health risks as the Turkish government fails to enforce laws on licensing and inspections, according to research by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Imported plastic waste from the European Union is a significant contributor to the abuses, the report found.

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