Turkey Book Talk Adnan Khan on the human toll of Turkey's importing of Europe's waste
Jan 20, 2026
Journalist Adnan Khan, a former Turkey-based reporter focused on migration and the global waste industry, dives deep into Turkey's booming plastic waste imports and the exploitation of migrant labor. He discusses how China's ban on plastic imports and the EU-Turkey migration deal have fueled this industry, leading to toxic working conditions and high mortality rates among workers. Khan critiques Turkey's zero waste branding and highlights the environmental and human toll of these practices, advocating for better policies to address the crisis.
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China's Exit Created A Global Waste Gap
- China's 2017 ban exposed a global plastic waste gap that wealthy countries could no longer hide.
- Turkey filled that gap with a 400%+ surge in plastic waste imports between 2017–2022.
Policy Incentives Drew Waste To Turkey
- Turkey promoted waste management (zero waste) in 2017 and offered tax breaks and incentives.
- That policy opening made Turkey an attractive destination for displaced European plastic exports.
Living Inside Factories In Jebeji
- Adnan visited Jebeji and found migrants living inside half-crumbling factories amid toxic dust and no running water.
- Workers described using a hole in the ground as a toilet and sneaking out in groups to avoid police.