US decision on plastic straws sparks excitement in Turkey

US President Donald Trump has criticized the use of paper straws and announced a return to plastic straws. This development has been welcomed by plastic manufacturers in Turkey. Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Board of the Plastics Industrialists Federation (PLASFED), stated that Trump's remarks are significant for Turkey's plastics industry. Karadeniz emphasized that paper straws deform when they come into contact with food and that plastic straws are more durable.

Karadeniz stated that plastic straws are recyclable and can therefore contribute to the national economy. He also expressed that actions should be taken in line with the zero-waste principle and highlighted the importance of recycling plastic straws. Reminding that the importance of single-use plastics increased during the pandemic, Karadeniz said that conscious consumer models should be created.

Yavuz Eroğlu, President of the Turkish Plastics Industry Foundation (PAGEV), stated that plastic straws are lighter and more advantageous in terms of resource consumption compared to paper straws. Eroğlu expressed that the production cost of paper straws is high and the consumer experience is negative.

Touching upon Turkey's export success in the plastics sector, Karadeniz noted that exports worth 122 million 166 thousand dollars were made to the US in January and that this figure is targeted to increase further.

Turkey ranks second in Europe after Germany in plastic production, and this situation, along with the US decision to return to plastic straws, offers new export opportunities for Turkey.

News Source: 12punto