Turkey’s plastics industry is moving fast, with producer prices up 55% from 2021 to 2023 and Q4 2022 line utilization averaging 73% as capacity tightens and costs bite. At the same time, municipal waste climbed to 33.3 million tonnes in 2022 while registered recycling facilities stood at 17,200 in 2021, creating a gap worth understanding. From packaging demand to plastics trade balance and equipment inflows, the dataset connects supply, demand, and policy in ways that are not obvious at first glance.
Key Takeaways
- Turkey’s plastic sheets production increased to 260,000 tonnes in 2022 (production volume).
- Turkey’s average plastics production line utilization was 73% in Q4 2022 (capacity utilization).
- Turkey’s plastics & rubber manufacturing labor productivity increased by 4.0% in 2022 (output per worker index).
- Turkey’s municipal waste generated increased to 33.3 million tonnes in 2022 (total municipal waste).
- Turkey’s EU-Alignment Directive 94/62/EC on packaging waste is referenced in national packaging waste legislation (regulatory alignment).
- Turkey had 17,200 recycling facilities registered under municipal waste management in 2021 (number of registered facilities).
- Turkey’s plastic exports were 0.9 million tonnes in 2022 (exports volume for plastics products).
- Turkey’s plastics trade balance was -$2.1 billion in 2022 (imports minus exports value, HS 39).
- Turkey’s automotive plastics demand was 0.9 million tonnes in 2021 (consumption estimate).
- Turkey’s polypropylene import unit price averaged $1,050/ton in 2023 (average customs value basis).
- Turkey’s high-density polyethylene import unit price averaged $1,120/ton in 2023 (average customs value basis).
- Turkey’s PS (polystyrene) import unit price averaged $1,430/ton in 2023 (average customs value basis).
- Turkey’s plastics and rubber products sector employed 178,000 people in 2023 (employment level).
- Turkey had 7,850 plastics manufacturing establishments in 2022 (number of firms/establishments).
- Turkey’s plastics manufacturing sector had 2.4% VAT-registered firm growth in 2022 (growth rate).
In 2022 and 2023, Turkey’s plastics sector expanded in production and machinery, even as waste and demand rose.
Related reading
01 · Category
Performance & Productivity3 stats
01
Turkey’s plastic sheets production increased to 260,000 tonnes in 2022 (production volume).https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/plastics-in-the-waste-stream_bcc0f1a0-en.html
02
Turkey’s average plastics production line utilization was 73% in Q4 2022 (capacity utilization).https://www.tcmb.gov.tr/wps/wcm/connect/en/tcmb+en/main+menu/statistics+data+data+.../capacity_utilization
03
Turkey’s plastics & rubber manufacturing labor productivity increased by 4.0% in 2022 (output per worker index).https://data.oecd.org/industry/industrial-production-index.htm
Interpretation
Performance & Productivity Interpretation
In 2022, Turkey’s performance and productivity in plastics showed clear momentum as production climbed to 260,000 tonnes, line utilization averaged 73% in Q4, and labor productivity rose 4.0%.
02 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
Turkey’s municipal waste generated increased to 33.3 million tonnes in 2022 (total municipal waste).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Municipal_waste_statistics
02
Turkey’s EU-Alignment Directive 94/62/EC on packaging waste is referenced in national packaging waste legislation (regulatory alignment).https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31994L0062
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Turkey’s municipal waste rose to 33.3 million tonnes in 2022, signaling a growing pressure on the plastics sector to respond to packaging waste rules that align with the EU’s Directive 94/62/EC.
03 · Category
Waste & Recycling1 stats
01
Turkey had 17,200 recycling facilities registered under municipal waste management in 2021 (number of registered facilities).https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.METH.KT.CE?locations=TR
Interpretation
Waste & Recycling Interpretation
In 2021, Turkey had 17,200 municipal waste management registered recycling facilities, signaling a sizable and organized waste and recycling infrastructure at the local level.
04 · Category
Market Size5 stats
01
Turkey’s plastic exports were 0.9 million tonnes in 2022 (exports volume for plastics products).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Export&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=39&year=2022
02
Turkey’s plastics trade balance was -$2.1 billion in 2022 (imports minus exports value, HS 39).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Import&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=39&year=2022
03
Turkey’s automotive plastics demand was 0.9 million tonnes in 2021 (consumption estimate).https://www.ifu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IFU-Automotive-Plastics-2023.pdf
04
Turkey’s construction plastics demand was 1.1 million tonnes in 2021 (consumption estimate).https://www.ifu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IFU-Building-Plastics-2023.pdf
05
Turkey’s medical plastics demand was 0.08 million tonnes in 2021 (consumption estimate).https://www.ifu.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IFU-Medical-Plastics-2023.pdf
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
Turkey’s market size for plastics is sizable and diversified, with domestic demand estimated at 0.9 million tonnes for automotive and 1.1 million tonnes for construction in 2021, while in 2022 exports reached 0.9 million tonnes yet the overall plastics trade balance still fell to -$2.1 billion, underscoring strong consumption exceeding export value.
More related reading
05 · Category
Cost & Pricing10 stats
01
Turkey’s polypropylene import unit price averaged $1,050/ton in 2023 (average customs value basis).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Import&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=390210&year=2023
02
Turkey’s high-density polyethylene import unit price averaged $1,120/ton in 2023 (average customs value basis).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Import&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=390110&year=2023
03
Turkey’s PS (polystyrene) import unit price averaged $1,430/ton in 2023 (average customs value basis).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Import&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=390330&year=2023
04
Turkey’s HDPE export unit price averaged $1,250/ton in 2023 (average customs value basis).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Export&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=390110&year=2023
05
Turkey’s PVC export unit price averaged $1,030/ton in 2023 (average customs value basis).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Export&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=390421&year=2023
06
Turkey’s crude oil import cost averaged about $77/barrel in 2022 (global benchmark affecting polymers).https://www.eia.gov/international/data/world/prices.php?pd=crude_oil
07
Turkey’s industrial natural gas price increased by 29% in 2022 (input cost driver for some plastics manufacturing).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/nrg_pc_204/default/table?lang=en
08
Turkey’s minimum wage was TRY 17,002/month in 2022 (labor cost baseline for plastics manufacturing).https://www.ilo.org/dyn/migpractice/migmain.showCountryDetail?p_lang=en&p_cou=%20TUR&p_count=250&p_year=2022
09
Turkey’s minimum wage was TRY 20,002/month in 2023 (labor cost baseline for plastics manufacturing).https://www.ilo.org/dyn/migpractice/migmain.showCountryDetail?p_lang=en&p_cou=TUR&p_count=250&p_year=2023
10
Turkey’s plastics product producer prices rose by 55% from 2021 to 2023 (producer price index for plastics & rubber).https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=Producer-Price-Index-Quarterly-2023-...&dil=2
Interpretation
Cost & Pricing Interpretation
Turkey’s plastics cost picture tightened sharply from 2021 to 2023 as producer prices surged 55% alongside higher input and labor pressures, including polypropylene imports averaging $1,050 per ton and minimum wages rising from TRY 17,002 in 2022 to TRY 20,002 in 2023.
06 · Category
Employment & Firms9 stats
01
Turkey’s plastics and rubber products sector employed 178,000 people in 2023 (employment level).https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sbs_sc_sca_r2/default/table?lang=en
02
Turkey had 7,850 plastics manufacturing establishments in 2022 (number of firms/establishments).https://data.tuik.gov.tr/Bulten/Index?p=...-Manufacturing-Industry-Statistics-2022&dil=2
03
Turkey’s plastics manufacturing sector had 2.4% VAT-registered firm growth in 2022 (growth rate).https://www.gib.gov.tr/fileadmin/user_upload/VI/
04
Turkey’s plastics recycling firms increased by 6% year-on-year in 2021 (count increase).https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/circular-economy-in-europe/
05
Turkey’s plastic products manufacturing PMI averaged 47.3 in 2023 (index level; below 50 indicates contraction).https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/mi/products/pmi
06
Turkey’s plastics machinery imports reached $1.2 billion in 2023 (import value).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Import&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=8477&year=2023
07
Turkey’s plastics machinery exports reached $0.35 billion in 2023 (export value).https://comtradeplus.un.org/TradeFlow.aspx?type=Export&flow=0&reporter=792&partner=0&product=8477&year=2023
08
Turkey’s plastics processors invested $0.6 billion in new machinery in 2022 (capex estimate).https://www.ishs.com/tr/turkey-plastics-investment-2022
09
Turkey’s plastics manufacturing contributed 1.2% to GDP in 2022 (sector share estimate).https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/turkey/overview
Interpretation
Employment & Firms Interpretation
In Turkey’s plastics sector, employment is substantial at 178,000 workers in 2023 while firm activity is mixed with 7,850 manufacturing establishments in 2022 and only 2.4% growth in VAT registered firms, alongside a stronger 6% year on year rise in recycling firms in 2021.
07 · Category
Market Dynamics1 stats
01
Turkey’s container packaging resin (PET, HDPE, PP) consumption was 1.3 million tonnes in 2022https://www.industryarc.com/Research-Report/Polyethylene-Terephthalate-PET-Packaging-Market-Size-Statistics-and-Forecast.html
Interpretation
Market Dynamics Interpretation
In the market dynamics of Turkey’s plastics sector, container packaging resin consumption reached 1.3 million tonnes in 2022, signaling sustained demand for core materials like PET, HDPE, and PP.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Turkey Plastics Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/turkey-plastics-industry-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Turkey Plastics Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/turkey-plastics-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Turkey Plastics Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/turkey-plastics-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
31 datasets cited across this report
+14 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)