First Results of Türkiye’s Deposit Return System: 7.6 Million Containers Collected in 5 Days

Launched nationwide on July 1, Türkiye’s new Deposit Return System (Depozito İade Sistemi – DOA) has generated outstanding public engagement based on data from its first five days of operation. Initiated under the “Zero Waste” campaign, the program aims to increase recycling and reduce waste. According to official data shared by the responsible minister, Murat Kurum, the system has already brought millions of beverage containers into the circular economy within days of its launch, promising significant economic and environmental benefits for the country.

Strong Start and a Dynamically Growing User Base

Türkiye’s deposit return system collected 7.6 million deposit-bearing beverage containers during its first five days of operation, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum announced in a social media post. An infographic shared by the minister provided detailed statistics: by the end of the fifth day, the system had attracted a total of 1,385,673 registered users.

The program gained strong momentum from the very beginning: on launch day, 649,244 users returned over 1.5 million deposit-bearing beverage containers. The minister emphasized that the system is rapidly gaining public acceptance and the process is gaining momentum every day. As Murat Kurum stated: “The Deposit Return System is now our new habit. This transformation is gaining momentum every day.” The minister added that returning containers instead of discarding them not only protects the environment but also provides direct benefits to consumers while supporting the national economy.

How the System Works and Return Conditions

Launched nationwide on July 1 as part of Türkiye’s Zero Waste initiative, the program allows consumers to return eligible plastic, glass, and aluminum beverage containers to designated collection points and reverse vending machines. For every eligible returned container, the system provides a refundable deposit of 1 Turkish Lira (TL) to the consumer. The overarching goal of the initiative is to increase recycling rates, radically reduce generated waste, and promote the circular use of resources across the country.

Economic and Environmental Objectives

As part of Türkiye’s circular economy efforts, a primary goal of the return program is to reintroduce valuable raw materials back into the production cycle as much as possible. According to official estimates, the system could contribute approximately 30 billion TL (roughly 645 million US dollars) annually to the Turkish economy. Alongside the substantial financial benefits, the environmental impacts of the program are also significant: increased recycling directly contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering energy consumption during manufacturing processes.

References and Sources:

• Original source of the article: Daily Sabah – Türkiye’s deposit return system collects 7.6M containers in 5 days

• Official state website of the Turkish Deposit Return System (DOA): doa.gov.tr

• Official platform of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change for the system (DBYS): dbys.gov.tr