Turkey’s plastic waste imports from the UK are booming – but at what cost?

Uncontrolled imports spark 'garbage dump of the world' fears and raise fears over how much is ending up in landfill

Itinerant garbage pickers run down the hilly streets of Istanbul, their trolleys packed with plastic and other waste.

Their haul is a boon for the recycling industry in Turkey. "We collect 80% of the waste from the streets," said Recep Karaman, head of the street waste collectors association.