Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Board of the Plastics Industrialists Federation (PLASFED), was a guest of Lale Elmacıoğlu on the Sectoral Outlook program, broadcast live on Ekotürk. Karadeniz made comprehensive evaluations regarding the economic outlook for 2025, the global and national position of the plastics sector, sustainability policies, and industrialists' problems with access to finance.
Stating that 2025 was a challenging year for many sectors, Karadeniz emphasized that the plastics sector performed above the general economic average. Karadeniz reminded that the Turkish plastics sector ranks sometimes sixth, sometimes seventh in the world, and stated that it is in second place in Europe after Germany. The Chairman of the umbrella organization PLASFED said, “This picture clearly reveals the potential of our sector. However, our goal is, of course, a much stronger position.”
“Plastic, in every area of life”
Karadeniz stated that the pandemic period showed the strategic importance of the plastics sector to the whole world, and said that health, packaging, and engineering plastics, in particular, have become indispensable. Noting that plastic is no longer just a material associated with daily consumption products, Karadeniz used the expressions, “It plays a critical role in every area of life, from health to the defense industry, from technology to food.”
Stating that negative perceptions towards plastic are a thing of the past, Karadeniz underlined that the real issue is sustainable production and proper waste management. Karadeniz, who stated that sustainability is the most important concept of recent years, emphasized that the Source Separation System and the Deposit Return System are the cornerstones of this process.
Drawing attention to the fact that the culture of source separation has not sufficiently settled in Turkey, Karadeniz pointed out the importance of public service announcements, educational activities, and local government-central government cooperation in this regard. Giving examples from European practices, Karadeniz stated that the system is successful when supported by penal sanctions and public awareness.
“The most fundamental problem: access to finance”
Touching upon the issue of access to finance, which is one of the most important problems for industrialists, Karadeniz stated that PLASFED strongly brought this issue to the agenda during contacts made in Ankara. Karadeniz stated that the "Nefes" loan (breath loan) was an important step but remained insufficient, adding, “For the sustainability of production, financing mechanisms must become stronger and more accessible.”
At the end of his speech, Karadeniz emphasized that production, sustainability, source separation, and the Deposit Return System should be handled together, conveying the message, “We did not inherit this country from our ancestors, but received it as a trust from our children. We must act without forgetting our responsibility towards future generations.”
This content has been translated using artificial intelligence technology.