Ömer Karadeniz, the Chairman of the Federation of Plastic Manufacturers (PLASFED), participated in the live broadcast of the Midday program on Ekotürk on February 26, 2025, as a guest of Ahu Orakçıoğlu. Karadeniz answered questions regarding the problems faced by Turkish industrialists, stating that plastics increase efficiency across various sectors, from defense to aviation, due to their lightweight and durable nature.
Emphasizing that the plastics industry creates added value for the Turkish economy by serving approximately 35 sectors, Karadeniz noted that plastic is present in every aspect of our lives.
Karadeniz indicated that the lightweight and durable nature of plastics increases efficiency across various sectors, from defense to aviation, stating, "Plastics play a key role in combating global warming. In many sectors, the use of plastics helps reduce fuel consumption by decreasing the weight of vehicles. This can reduce carbon emissions and mitigate environmental impacts. For instance, thanks to the use of plastics, airplanes are now lighter and therefore faster. This clearly demonstrates the significant role that plastics play in environmental conservation."
Petrochemical facilities must be established
Noting that we are approximately 90% dependent on imports for raw materials, Karadeniz expressed the need for at least five petrochemical facilities. He explained that the sector focuses on sustainability and environmentally friendly technologies with its investments in R&D and innovation, highlighting the critical role of the sector in Turkey's economic growth through employment, exports, and technological advancements. Karadeniz stated that everything from our eye lenses to our shoelaces contains plastic, and that addressing the raw material shortage would allow the sector to grow exponentially.
Second-hand products are not waste but raw materials
Stressing that used products brought in from abroad are utilized as raw materials, Karadeniz stated, "Materials that we refer to as disposable are brought to our country, processed, and transformed into raw materials. Many countries are doing this excessively. Moreover, we need this process even more. The more products we bring in, the more raw materials we can obtain. We have massive facilities processing second-hand products. We should view second-hand imports not as waste but as raw materials."
Recycling creates economic value
Karadeniz stated that by recycling used materials, economic value is generated and that this could be facilitated by the Source Separation System (KAS). He noted that KAS should be implemented as soon as possible across all platforms, and emphasized the need to raise public awareness on the matter. The PLASFED President pointed out that NGOs continuously inform their members about this issue and requested support from the government with their spotlight initiatives. He stressed that this could not be achieved solely by local governments, and that local and central governments must work together.
Translated by Artificial Intelligence
