Turkey Enters A New Era In Environmental Protection

EA
Esin Attorney Partnership

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Esin Attorney Partnership, a member firm of Baker & McKenzie International, has long been a leading provider of legal services in the Turkish market. We have a total of nearly 140 staff, including over 90 lawyers, serving some of the largest Turkish and multinational corporations. Our clients benefit from on-the-ground assistance that reflects a deep understanding of the country's legal, regulatory and commercial practices, while also having access to the full-service, international and foreign law advice of the world's leading global law firm. We help our clients capture and optimize opportunities in Turkey's dynamic market, including the key growth areas of mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure development, private equity and real estate. In addition, we are one of the few firms that can offer services in areas such as compliance, tax, employment, and competition law — vital for companies doing business in Turkey.
In an effort to harmonize Turkish environmental protection standards with those of the European Union, on April 2, the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning adopted a new regulation on waste management that will take effect immediately and significantly affect companies that produce waste in Turkey.
Turkey Environment

Recent developments

In an effort to harmonize Turkish environmental protection standards with those of the European Union, on April 2, the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning adopted a new regulation on waste management that will take effect immediately and significantly affect companies that produce waste in Turkey.

Based on the EU's Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) and the European Commission Decision establishing a list of waste (2000/532/EC), the new regulation is intended to:

  • manage waste with minimal harm to the environment and human health,
  • decrease waste produced,
  • increase reuse and recycling of waste, and
  • supervise the market in terms of environmental protection.

The regulation replaces the Solid Waste Management Regulation (1991), Dangerous Waste Management Regulation (2005), and Regulation on General Principles of Waste Management (2008), providing a single comprehensive framework for waste management.

What the new regulation says

Waste producing companies must:

  • ​​take precautions to minimize waste production,
  • separately collect waste and temporarily store as ready-to-pick-up,
  • prepare a waste management plan to prevent and reduce waste,
  • provide training to employees on the collection, transportation and temporary storage of waste,
  • take appropriate safety and health-related precautions,
  • maintain waste records,
  • package and label waste,
  • take immediate steps to cure waste discharges,
  • bear the cost of waste type determination, collection, transportation, and processing,
  • obtain financialliability insurance for their facilities.

The regulation covers waste produced from:

  • the exploration, extraction, and physical and chemical processing of mines,
  • food production and processing,
  • agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, hunting and fishing,
  • wood processing and the manufacture of furniture paper, paper mache, cardboard and chipboard,
  • the manufacture of leather, fur and textile products,
  • hydrocarbon refining and natural gas purification,
  • organic and inorganic chemical processes,
  • the manufacture of paints, polishers, pastes and printing ink,
  • photographic processing,
  • energy production and power plants,
  • processing of zinc, copper, iron, steel, silver, gold, platinum, glass, ceramics and concrete,
  • processing of metals and plastics.

These lists are not exhaustive.

Companies should be aware of how this new regulation will affect their operations in Turkey and take necessary steps to ensure compliance.

Baker & McKenzie

At Baker & McKenzie, we provide sophisticated advice to our clients on product liability, product standards, product recall, consumer protection and environmental protection. We also provide tailor-made trainings to our clients on these topics. Please contact us if you would like information on how to comply with product and consumer-related requirements in Turkey.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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