Turkey has updated its waste incineration regime, to keep up with technological and sector developments. Notably, only "hazardous wastes" can now be incinerated at common burning plants. Wood waste is now mostly removed from the Regulation on Waste Incineration. Further, energy recovery is now possible at cement plants.

The Regulation Amending the Regulation on Waste Incineration ("Amendment Regulation") was published in Official Gazette number 30031 on 7 April 2017, entering into effect on the same date. The Amendment Regulation makes changes to the Regulation on Waste Incineration ("Regulation"), published in the Official Gazette number 27721 on 6 October 2010.

Changes introduced by the Amendment Regulation include:

  • Only "hazardous wastes" can now be incinerated at common burning plants.
  • Energy recovery is now possible for waste at cement plants.
  • Wood waste is now excluded from the Regulation, except for:

    • Wood preservative and wood waste which includes halogenated organic compounds or heavy metal.
    • Wood waste originating from construction or destruction.
  • Previously, all medical waste incineration facilities were required to install a laboratory. The Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning now has discretion to waive this requirement.
  • Lengthy trial waste incinerations are no longer required for:

    • Facilities to incinerate one type of waste.
    • Facilities supplementing waste codes.

Please see this link for the full text of the Amendment Regulation (only available in Turkish).

Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.

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