Environmental Law No. 2872

Environmental Law No. 2872 was adopted on 9 August 1983 and published in the Official Gazette dated 11 August 1983, No. 18132. It is the basic framework of Türkiye’s environmental protection, waste management, permitting and inspection system. Most regulations on waste, destruction, recycling and the recovery contribution fee are issued under it. The text has been amended frequently; the latest amendments were made by laws enacted in 2026.

What does the Environmental Law aim to achieve and on which principles does it rest?

The purpose of the Law is to protect the environment, the common asset of all living beings, in line with the principles of sustainable environment and sustainable development (Article 1). Article 3 states that everyone is responsible for protecting the environment and preventing pollution.

Among the principles in that article, the best known is that the costs of preventing, limiting and remedying pollution are borne by the polluter or by the party that caused the degradation. The same article favours technologies that reduce waste at source and enable recovery, and the use of economic instruments such as the recovery contribution fee, deposit schemes and measures to reduce plastic bag use.

What obligations does the Law impose on businesses?

It is prohibited to release, store, transport or remove any waste or residue to the receiving environment contrary to the standards set in the regulations (Article 8). Projects that may harm the environment require an Environmental Impact Assessment Report or a project description file, and no approval, permit or licence may be issued before a positive decision is obtained (Article 10).

Article 11 requires waste producers to minimise their waste and to treat or dispose of it in line with the regulations. Producers whose characteristics are determined by the Ministry must manage their waste through waste management responsible firms. Establishing and operating a zero waste management system is also mandatory under this article. Article 12 covers inspection and the duty to provide information and documents; Article 13 covers hazardous chemicals, the ban on importing hazardous waste and mandatory financial liability insurance.

What does the Law mean for destruction and recycling?

The Law requires those who set up and operate waste recovery, recycling and disposal facilities to obtain a licence from the Ministry. Except for household waste, those who transport and collect waste must also be licensed (Article 11). Which firm receives waste for destruction therefore has direct legal significance for a business.

Producers, importers and those placing products on the market who are made subject to producer responsibility form associations with legal personality, under the coordination of the Ministry, to collect, recycle and dispose of the waste arising at the end of their products’ life. Additional Article 11 provides for the recovery contribution fee on products in List (1) annexed to the Law; Additional Article 13 provides that plastic bags are given for a fee at points of sale.

What are the sanctions for breaching the Law?

Article 20 lists the administrative fines; the amounts are updated every year by communiqués at the revaluation rate. Fines are increased if the same act is repeated within three years (Article 23). An activity may be suspended after a time limit or immediately; activities without an environmental permit or permit and licence are suspended without a time limit (Article 15).

Administrative sanction decisions are issued by the Ministry, and an action may be brought before the administrative court within thirty days of service (Articles 24 and 25). Anyone who gives false or misleading information in breach of the notification and information obligation is punished with imprisonment of six months to one year (Article 26).

What should be checked in practice?

Environmental legislation is spread between the Law and its regulations; the full detail of an obligation is often found in the relevant regulation. Businesses whose activities may cause environmental pollution must also obtain environmental management services (Additional Article 2).

Because the text is amended often, the current version on mevzuat.gov.tr and the fines communiqué for the relevant year should be checked before acting.