The roadmap of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change aimed at reducing plastic use presents a historic opportunity for an eco-friendly transformation in Turkey. Sunar Investment fully supports this vision through the innovative work of its subsidiary, Sunar NP, in the field of biodegradable plastics. As Turkey’s first biodegradable polymer producer, the company offers a local response to the global plastic crisis with its developed solutions. Mustafa Nuri Çomu, Chairman of the Board of Sunar Investment, emphasized their determination to contribute to this process, stating, “We are working to carry our country toward the goal of leadership in reducing single-use plastics and promoting biodegradable products.”
The “Roadmap for Single-Use Plastics, Marine Litter, and Microplastics” published by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change stands out as a decisive and visionary step in Turkey’s struggle against plastic pollution. The roadmap includes 44 short, medium, and long-term action plans to reduce plastic use, increase recycling rates, and encourage eco-friendly alternatives.
Mustafa Nuri Çomu, Chairman and CEO of Sunar Investment, welcomed the roadmap and expressed that it is an extremely important step for Turkey’s environmental future. Çomu stated, “With the R&D studies we have conducted for years at Sunar NP and our local biodegradable raw material production capacity, we are working to carry our country toward the goal of leadership in reducing single-use plastics and promoting biodegradable products.” He added that this vision can be realized collectively through improvements in GEKAP (Recovery Share) regulations, public incentives, and market-oriented transition strategies.
Çomu emphasized that it is of critical importance for biodegradable products to be evaluated in a separate category under GEKAP for a similar transformation to occur in Turkey. He noted that if this step is taken, biodegradable products would naturally be preferred as a more reasonable and environmental solution in supermarkets, retail chains, and public procurement.
Stressing that the raw materials for petroleum-based plastics are largely imported, placing a significant burden on the Turkish economy, Çomu said: “Their decomposition time in nature reaches hundreds of years, and during this process, they threaten the ecosystem by creating microplastic pollution. In contrast, the corn starch-based biodegradable raw material we developed decomposes in as little as 3–6 months, leaves no microplastics, and reduces import dependency thanks to local production.”
Plastic Bag Bans Applied in Europe for Years Guide Turkey
Countries such as France, Italy, Spain, and Germany have expanded the use of biodegradable products complying with the EN 13432 standard by banning or limiting single-use plastics. For a similar transformation to happen in Turkey, it is of great importance to evaluate biodegradable products in a separate category under GEKAP, make them the primary option in supermarkets and retail chains, and prioritize them in public procurement. The Ministry’s roadmap provides a strong foundation for implementing these steps.
About Sunar NP
Sunar NP, operating under the umbrella of Sunar Investment, is a pioneering company and Turkey’s first biodegradable polymer producer focusing on corn starch-based biodegradable raw materials. By developing local innovation through its R&D power, it offers fully compostable and TÜV-certified environmental solutions that comply with EN 13432 and EN 14995 standards, serving as alternatives to single-use plastics. These raw materials, which can be used in the production of disposable items such as bags, plates, forks, cups, and straws, decompose in 3–6 months without leaving microplastics. By reducing import dependency through the use of local and renewable agricultural resources, Sunar NP provides a domestic response to the global plastic crisis and contributes to the sustainable transformation in both Turkey and international markets.
