Abstract

Climate change is an atmospheric change happened by human activity or natural results which

brings some damaging effects on oceans, glaciers and land surfaces. Plastics lead to an increase

of the concentration of greenhouse gases which become an important factor for climate change.

A framework is presented for defining the effect of plastics in climate change and what are the

precautions taken by Turkey. We examine ways for decreasing plastics' impact on greenhouse

gases that play a role in climate change. This report includes researchers from different articles,

surveys and scientific data about impacts of plastics on climate change. To sum up, it was

determined that plastics pollution in the atmosphere, territorial lands and oceans leads to climate

change, extinction of animals and so on.

Introduction

The global climate has become a more critical problem these days. The plastics do not only

create a pollutant for air which we breath, but also for living things, oceans and territorial lands.

For instance, Kanlı ve Kurt (2019) mentioned overseas in every one km there are 13 thousand

plastic, flow in oceans bring it all over the world and sea animals suppose plastics as a food and

eat this, results by death of animals or breathing problems(2019). When plastic waste burns,

greenhouse gases are released (especially CO2) and because of that greenhouse gas strikes the

surface of the Earth’s heat from the Sun and traps the heat that must be reflected in space into the

Earth’s atmosphere. This leads to an increase in the average air temperature and the sea levels.

According to Shen, Huang, Chen, Song, Zeng and Zhang (2019) for global economy plastic is an

important material. It also plays a role in human activities, plastic packing, clothes, equipment

parts for building materials. Unfortunately, this global plastic production increases day by day.
Also dissolution of plastic in the environment is very slow and it causes permanent damage. For

example, polyethylene which is mostly used for shopping bags has an enormous impact on

releasing greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, 2% quantity of plastics can be recycled at the same

quality. Yet, there are methods like recycling, incineration and sanitary landfill for cleaning

ocean, lands and air from pollution of plastic materials. Göndoğdu and Gülçevik (2017) carried

out a project about pollution of Mediterranean sea and they examined that Turkey is also as

effective as other countries on plastic pollution by industrialisation. Kanlı and Kurt state that

Turkey also followed different ways to take precaution for plastic pollution such as Barcelona

agreement to cleaning Mediterranean sea pollution, since Turkey try to reduce plastic usage by

40% in 2025(2019). Author also pointed out that Turkey set a price for plastic bags in 2019 for

decreasing usage of plastic production. Our aim is to determine policy implication for

government, business, individuals about plastics impact on climate change by doing interviews

with people, reading different articles and collecting information regarding plastic wastes.

Methods and Materials

All of the members found a variety of articles about the waste of plastics impact on the

environment read and reviewed. Information which is selected by our topic was used to prepare

slides and this slide was presented to our supervisor every week. Data was collected from

participants with a survey. These questions are qualitative and quantitative. Data are compared in

terms of participants ages, gender, level of consciousness. According to these data, report written

about effects of plastics usage on climate change and taking precautions.

 Importance of Subject

Plastics are the most used material in the world and they use many products such as bottles and

plastic bags (Shen, Huang, Chen, Song, Zeng and Zhang, 2019, p. 2). Yet, overuse of plastics

leads to pollution in the world (Kanlı and Kurt). These pollutants have harmful effects on

animals (Kanlı and Kurt). Also, dissolution of plastic recycling is very slow, especially plastic

bags (Shen, Huang, Chen, Song, Zeng and Zhang, 2019, p. 4). For example, plastic bags

disappear in 10-20 years (Kanlı and Kurt,, 2019 p. 496). Additionally, plastics have bad impacts

on climate change because greenhouse gas emissions were caused by plastics and plastic waste

(Shen, Huang, Chen, Song, Zeng and Zhang, 2019, p. 2). When greenhouse gases concentration

increased, average air temperature also increased (Shen, Huang, Chen, Song, Zeng and Zhang,

2019, p. 3). That’s why, plastic recycling and also plastic waste management are very important

for the world. Consequently, the environment, animals and people are badly affected by plastic

waste. Therefore, many precautions should be taken for plastics and plastic

wastes in countries.

Global Part

Plastic usage has an enormous effect on our environment and become a more critical problem

these days. They cause a change in global temperature. In the increase of global temperature, all

the countries have a powerful effect with inconsistent use of plastic. In the report which was

published by WWF in 2018, mentioned that that caused a global emergency (WWf,2018, p.6).

plastic production mostly provided by fossil fuels and plastics contains not only plastic fuels but

also pigments, antioxidants, flame-retardants, antistatic agents (ibid, p.6). At global level seven
types of plastic are used to supply 85% of total demand and especially the first three types meet

50% of the needs (ibid, p.6). Nowadays, China comes first in plastic production, after China,

Europe comes second. In 2016, according to data obtained , Switzerland and Norway

manufactured 60 million tonnes of plastic waste (ibid,p.6).Just 31% of plastic waste could be

recycled, %27 of this waste sent to landfills and the remainder was used to get energy by burning

(ibid,p.6). Although, this situation is improving in different European countries like Italy, France,

Spain and Balkan countries (ibid, p.6). That causes the spread of harmful substances to the air

and this not only affects global temperature, at the same time human health and animals’ life are

in danger too. The plastics do not only create pollution for air which we breath, but also for

living things in oceans. Current report shows that there are 150 million tonnes of plastic in the

ocean and by 2050 the ocean may contain more plastic than fish in terms of their weight (ibid,

p.6). Most plastics do not decompose easily in the ocean and they rest for hundreds of years. The

Mediterranean hosts 200 million tourists every year and home to 150 million people. The tourists

visiting cause 40% increasing pollution in marine each year (ibid, p.19). Also, every year huge

amounts of microplastics and microplastics in European sea come to Mediterranean Sea. Most of

plastic waste carried by rivers which are passing through Turkey to Mediterranean sea and

remain for thousands of years(ibid, p19).

 The Current Situation in Turkey Part

Plastics become a big problem in the world as well as in Turkey due to overuse of plastic wastes

increase. Plastics need more than 1000 years to decompose, that’s why it has harmful effects for

territorial, aquatic and atmospheric homelands (Kanlı & Kurt, 2019, p.495). It emerges as a great

danger for nature, living things and climate. Since 60-80% of total plastic wastes accumulate in

ocean coasts and sea, plastics are more dangerous for marine ecosystems (Gündoğdu & Çevik,

2017, p.341). Micro plastics are one type of the plastics which is smaller than 5 mm and it is

divided into two categories: one is primer microplastics (like plastics in cosmetic products’

content, microbeads), others is called secondary microplastics which are formed by macro

plastics wear (Kanlı & Kurt, 2019, p.498). Micro plastics seem like harmless, but they pass

through sinks and mix into ocean, lands (ibid, p.499). According to Kanlı and Kurt micro plastics

become an international problem, especially for countries which have coast, because pollution

occurs in oceans and seas (ibid, p.505). Maritime monitoring studies started in 2011 in Turkey,

to be aware of the pollutions rate by years, TÜBİTAK was of the example which followed this

research program about coasts (ibid, p.506). Additionally, at the end of monitoring seas, these

programs’ summary reports are shared with the public (ibid, p.506). Turkey planned some

project in ODTÜ called “Microplastic Research and Oceans Wastes in Marine Science Institute'',

project for primary education called “I Know and Protect My Sea Education” and organized

symposiums to educate public and the world about the danger that they are face to face for a long

time (ibid, p.506). A research done by ODTÜ mentioned that while 28 different types of fish

examined they realized 58% of fishes’ digestive system contain microplastics wastes because

fishes think plastics in the sea like a food that’s why they eat it. Turkey realized salt that people
use in their home contain microplastics too because salts come from Tuz Lake, Palas Lake or

from sea, these are polluted with plastics waste by people. After determination of these data

Turkey decided to do more research about the microplastics mix to sea and lakes (ibid, p.507). In

addition, in 2017, WWF-Turkey started a program named “Zero Waste Program” to decrease use

of plastics (ibid, p.509). Turkey started this program by pricing plastic shopping bags, the price

is 25 cents (ibid, p.509). Another precaution for primary microplastics’ effect on the environment

was to prohibit usage of microplastics in cosmetic products (ibid, p.511).

Results of Survey

Once survey ile ilgili bilgi gerekli. Nasıl hazırladınız? Kimlere yönelik. This survey is divided

into in four parts: demographic features, sensitivity to climate change, environmental awareness,

issues and solutions to those issues. Demographic features include gender, age and educational

level of people who responded to the survey. Sensitivity to climate change is one of the

important titles for the survey. We have reviewed in that part how much people have knowledge

about greenhouse gases and its effects, how many of them throw plastic wastes in the sea at least

once. As a result, the survey shows that people need to know more about greenhouse gases

because they don’t have enough information, in the question 4, 17.6% of people are aware of

what is greenhouse gases and its influences on the environment. This data is not enough to

protect nature. If people don’t have information about greenhouse gases they couldn’t know what

is the reason to increment these gases. Fortunately, in question 5, 97.1% of responses show that

pPeople prefer not to throw their wastes into the sea. When it comes to environmental awareness,

the survey aims to answer these questions: is there a relationship between animals’ (especially

fishes’) and human’s health, do you continue to use plastic bags while shopping after the plastic
bags becoming paid, have you ever encounter the plastic wastes when you go to coasts, how can

we raise awareness about plastics and their effects to nature, how people are thinking about the

effects of plastics influence human health and environment, did you ever participate a seminar

about plastic wastes and its effects, how many years dDoes a plastic bag take to decompose all

these questions give important data. Luckily, in the queston 6, responses say that 98.8% of

people know about the relation between animals’ and humans’ health. Unfortunately, in the

question 8, 55% of people see plastic wastes in the seas, it means seas are in danger in terms of

animals’ health living there and indirectly humans are also in danger about their health.

Additionally, even if there is a price for plastic bags, people still use plastics while shopping in

the way of 7th question of the survey 51.8% of people use these plastics. Further, in the

question9, 39.4% of people think that advertisements can be a good way to aware people about

plastics and their dangers for the environment. 35.3% of them think voluntary activities prepared

by government or social institutions can be effective for people to be informed about that issue.

In the question 12, 67.1% of people also participated before a seminar about plastic wastes and

climate change. This shows people are willing to learn about environmental and climate

problems caused by overconsumption of plastics. In addition, the question 11 shows the

majority of people (45.6%) who took the survey know how many years does plastics disappears

in nature. If they are aware of it indicate, they will be more careful. Finally, the survey aimed to

know about the precautions taken by the government enough to avoid pollution caused by plastic

wastes. According to 10th question of the a survey, 91% of people believe the government should

find new solutions to avoid this pollution

Bu kısım biraz pie diyagramlarla daha anlaşılır hale getirilmeli

Question 1

Question 2

Question3
Question4

Question5
Question6

Question7

Question8
Question9
Question10

Question11
Question 12

Question13
 Taking Precautions Policy Suggestions

There are many precautions about decreasing climate change. These precautions may be in

different areas, such as industry, consumption of consumers, governments, and the public.

In these cases, the public should use urban transportation and develop urban transportation and

use it day by day. These innovations are encouraged by national and local governments. They

need to work together and they should improve their policies. If population density increases,

CO2 emission decreases, so urban expansion is controlled and planned (WWF, 2018, p. 5). These

are policies about avoiding the expansion: favoring single use and single-family dwellings but

these are also conflicting policies. Governments and schools should cooperate and prepare a

seminar about the effects of climate change on the environment. If these seminars take place in

schools, tv shows, seminars will reach many people. Additionally, in schools, trash cans for

children can be separated according to materials of waste and multiplied. Institutions, such as the

tourism industry, including hospitality and maritime operators, must take precautions. For

example, People who work in these areas should avoid the use of all single use plastic items such

as bags, bottles, caps, or straws and put in place effective systems of waste collection and

recycling. Also, every citizen is responsible to avoid single-use plastic products and disposing of

all waste products. People must take precautions individually in daily life. People should produce

products of biodegradable or recycled materials instead of plastics, store food without plastic

containers and invest in innovation for recyclable or sustainable alternatives to tackle the 30% of

plastic packaging that is currently unrecyclable (WWF, 2018, pp. 23-24). Decouple plastics from

fossil sources and adopt renewably sourced feedstocks (ibid, pp. 23-24).

Appendix(es)Bu şekiller appendixte değil direkt survey resultın içinde olmalı

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