Road transport in Turkish cities andcoal in Turkey are major polluters.[4][5] Additionally, ambient air quality and national emissions ceilings do not meetEU standards, and unlike other European countries, many air pollution indicators are not available in Turkey. There is no limit onfine particulates, which cause lung and other diseases.
Some plant specific data is collected by the Environment Ministry[10]: 2 but it is not published.Right to Clean Air Platform Turkey and the Chamber of Environmental Engineers are among organisations campaigning for cleaner air.
As of 2024 the National Energy Balance stats do not split road transport fuel into petrol and diesel.[10]: 10 Increasing Turkey's proportion of electric cars in use to 10% by 2030 would also reducegreenhouse gas emissions by Turkey.[11] There are high purchase taxes on new cars[12] and in 2019 about 45% of cars were over 10 years old and energy-inefficient.[13] Continued electrification ofthe rail network and more high-speed line is one countermeasure being taken.[14] In 2020 strict enforcement of diesel truck emissions was suggested bySabancı University as a way to get old, polluting vehicles off the road: also in that year tractors have a legal exemption to burn 1000 ppm sulfur diesel.[15]
Turkish coal is still burnt for home heating in low-income districts of some cities,[16] which is bad because Turkish coal is very low-quality.[17] In 2022 most fine particulate pollution was from residential combustion.[10]: 12
Emissions fromcoal-fired power stations cause severe impacts on public health. A report from theHealth and Environment Alliance (HEAL) estimates that in 2019, there were almost 5,000 premature deaths caused by pollution from coal-fired power stations in Turkey, and over 1.4 million work-days lost to illness. The Director for Strategy and Campaigns said:[18]
Pollution from coal power plants puts everyone at risk of cardiovascular diseases, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer as well as acute respiratory infections. But it particularly affects those most vulnerable – pregnant women, children, the elderly, those already ill or poor.
The HEAL report estimates that the health costs of illness caused by coal-fired power stations make up between 13 and 27 percent of Turkey's total annual health expenditure (including both public and private sectors).[19]
Air pollution fromcement production is one of theenvironmental impacts of concrete.[30] Althoughasbestos was completely banned in 2010, it can still be a risk when older buildings are demolished,[31] in dumps,[32] and in buildings in some rural areas where it occurs naturally.[33]
Levels across the country are aboveWorld Health Organization guidelines.[34][35] There is no limit on PM2.5 and limits for other pollutants (except SO2) are above WHO guidelines:
Like in other countries,particulates, such as from tyre wear of vehicles in cities, are a danger to people's lungs. Regulations in Turkey do not contain restrictions on particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM 2.5), which cause lung diseases.[44] As of 2016[update] average PM2.5 concentration was 42μg/m3,[45] whereas 10 μg/m3 is theWorld Health Organization (WHO) guideline,[46] and is at dangerous levels inBatman,Hakkari,Siirt,Iğdır,Afyon,Gaziantep,Karaman, andIsparta.[47]
Asthma is expensive to treat[48] and can be caused by nitrogen oxides. NO2 in cities such as Ankara is visible from satellites.[49] Existingdiesel vehicles emitdiesel exhaustNOx and other air pollutants in cities[50] but the first model ofTurkish national electric car is planned to start production in 2022.[51]
Emissions are mostly from coal-fired power stations, and rose 14% in 2019 to over a megatonne of the world total of 29 megatonnes:Kemerköy power station and theAfşin-Elbistan power stations polluted the surrounding areas with 300 kilotonnes each in 2019.[52]
As of 2014[update] levels ofvolatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Istanbul were on average similar to those in London and Paris but more variable, with maxima usually exceeding 10 ppb.[53]
In 2018 air quality data was available on the website of theMinistry of Environment and Urbanization for 16% of districts and the ministry plans for it to be available for all districts by 2023, increasing the number of monitoring stations to 380.[58] In 2023 theRight to Clean Air Platform said that half of the 360 monitoring stations were not working properly.[59] As there is nopollutant release and transfer register law there is no obligation for industry to publish pollution levels[60] and Turkey has not ratified theGothenburg Protocol on air pollution.[61] There are hourly, daily and yearly average limits for various pollutants in the area around a coal-fired power station, defined as a radius 50 times the chimney height:[62]
Pollutant
Duration
Unit
Limit
SO2
Hourly (not to be exceeded more than 24 times in a year)
μg/m3
350
24 hours
125
Long-term limit
60
Yearly and winter (1 Oct - 31 Mar)
20
NO2
Hourly (not to be exceeded more than 18 times in a year)
250 (200 from 2024)
Yearly
40
PM10
Hourly (not to be exceeded more than 35 times in a year)
Some industrial companies reachGlobal Reporting Initiative (GRI) 305 emissions standard.[64] There is apollutant release and transfer register, but as of September 2024 no years are publicly searchable because it is not yet technically complete, and it is not known what exemptions will be granted.(see FAQ).[65] It is not known when the register will be completed.[10]: 14 There are 8 regional clean air centres.[66]
About 8% of all deaths have been estimated to be due to air pollution.[67] However estimates of annual excess mortality vary between 37,000[68] and 60,000.[69]: 7 TheRight to Clean Air Platform estimates at least 48,000 early deaths in 2021.[59] Air pollution is a health risk mainly due to burningfossil fuels, such as coal anddiesel.[70][71] Researchers estimate that reducing air pollution toWorld Health Organization limits would save seven times the number of lives that were lost in traffic accidents in 2017.[72] Although in many places the health effects of air pollution cannot be estimated, because there is not enough monitoring of PM10 and PM2.5 particulates,[67][73] average excess loss of life (compared to how many would be lost if WHO air pollution guidelines were followed) is estimated to be 0.4 years per person[74] but this will vary by location because, as of 2019[update], air pollution is severe in some cities.[75] In general it increases the risk fromrespiratory infections, such asCOVID-19,[76] especially in highly polluted cities such asZonguldak,[77] but this is disputed for some places and more research is needed.[78]
Coal and wood are still burnt to heat some older buildings in some cities, although the yellow plaque shows that natural gas is available in the street.
Many cities in Turkey are more polluted than typical European cities.[79] For example, the capital of neighbouring Bulgaria is introducing a low emission zone and restricting coal and wood burning.[80]
Pollution has lessened since the 1990s.[81] But as of 2019[update], measured with the air quality index, Istanbul's air affects the hearts and respiratory systems even of healthy individuals during busy traffic.[82] NO2 is visible in measurements byOrbiting Carbon Observatory 3.[83]
Some of the sulphur compounds emitted from Turkey's coal-fired power station chimneys becomestratospheric sulfur aerosols, which are the type of short-livedclimate forcers which reflect sunlight back into space. However this cooling effect is temporary, as short-lived climate forcers are almost all gone from the atmosphere after 30 years.[87]: 7 Significant amounts of coal wereburnt over 30 years ago, so the effect of that on global warming is dominated by CO2,[87]: 7 even though there were no limits on sulphur compounds until 2004.[88]
The impact of air pollution on the economy via damage to health may be billions of euros.[89][90] A study of 2015-16 hospital admissions inErzincan estimated direct costs of air pollution as 2.5% of the total health-related expenditures for the 15–34 and over 65 age groups, but stated that the total cost is likely much higher:[91] for example, the economic costs of thereductions in the intelligence of adults[92] and children[93] have not been estimated. According to medical group Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), reducing PM 2.5 air pollution in the country would substantially increase GDP.[94] According to the OECD, in 2019bitumen's exemption from special consumption tax was a subsidy of 5.9 billion lira.[95] Bitumen, also known as asphalt, is used for road surfaces and in hot weather releases secondary organic aerosols, which can damage people's health in cities.[96]
Electric buses were introduced in the early 2020s but are not widespread
In theConstitution of Turkey, Article 56 reads, "Everyone has the right to live in a healthy and balanced environment. It is the duty of the State and citizens to improve the natural environment, to protect the environmental health and to prevent environmental pollution."[104]
According to the Eleventh Development Plan (2019–2023), all districts will be monitored by 2023 and:
Air quality management practices will be enabled to prevent air pollution from production, heating and traffic, and air quality will be improved by controlling emissions.
Air quality action plans will be prepared at local level and legislation on pollution and emission control will be updated.
Air quality management capacity will be improved by strengthening regional clean air centres.
Research on air quality modelling and monitoring will be conducted and infrastructure will be developed.[58]
Quitting coal is said to be essential.[105] Strengthening environmental laws is said to benefit the economy of Turkey.[106] The Ministry of the Environment has drafted a law limiting PM 2.5 but it has not yet been passed.[107] According to the HEAL, over 500 premature deaths could be avoided per year by shutting down three power stations inMuğla.[108]
Electric ferryboats have been proposed for theBosphoros.[109][110][111] Alow-emission zone for road traffic has been suggested for Istanbul[112] and it has been suggested that Turkey's vehicle tax system should be changed to better charge for pollution.[113] Moregreen space is suggested for cities.[114]
Lead was first smelted around 5000 BC in Anatolia and in 535 ADJustinian I acknowledged the importance of clean air.[115] In the 19th century air pollution was thought of in terms ofmiasma, the idea that foul smells could cause disease.[116] Due to the high cost of oil after the1970s oil crisis, cities burnt morelignite for residential heating. An Air Pollution Control Regulation was issued in the 1980s and air quality monitoring began in that decade.[117] In early 2020 most air pollution in major cities fell significantly due to theCOVID-19 restrictions,[118] buttropospheric ozone (a leading cause ofsmog) increased as there were fewer particles to block the sunlight.[119] Air pollution started to rise again by the middle of the year.[35]
^"Turkey Energy Outlook"(PDF).Sabancı University Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 2023-06-01. Retrieved2020-12-08.
^Kadılar, Gamze Özel; Kadılar, Cem (2018). "Air pollution analysis for Ankara by air pollution index highly correlated with meteorological variables".American Institute of Physics Conference Series. AIP Conference Proceedings.1991 (1): 020014.Bibcode:2018AIPC.1991b0014K.doi:10.1063/1.5047887.
^"Turkey".Euracoal. 2020-02-16.Archived from the original on 2018-10-27. Retrieved2020-09-23.
^kstk.csb.gov.tr/en."Background to PRTR in Turkey - Pollutant Release and Transfer Register - Turkey (PRTR-Turkey)".kstk.csb.gov.tr. Retrieved2025-11-24.the key problem in Turkey that prevents establishing a sustainable and sufficient PRTR system is absence of a legal legislation about PRTR. Therefore facilities do not have a tendency to become a part of any PRTR system or continue reporting. In this context, the establishment of a PRTR system which depends on a strong legislation, administrative capacity and sufficient infrastructure is vital for sustainability. Setting up such a system is Ministry of Environment and Urbanization's duty in Turkey.
^Hoştut, Sibel; Deren van het Hof, Seçil (2020-01-01). "Greenhouse gas emissions disclosure: comparing headquarters and local subsidiaries".Social Responsibility Journal.16 (6):899–915.doi:10.1108/SRJ-11-2019-0377.ISSN1747-1117.S2CID219069970.
^abNaik, Vaishali; Szopa, Sophie; Adhikary, Bhupesh; Artaxo Netto, Paulo Eduardo; et al. (2021)."Chapter 6:Short-lived climate forcers"(PDF).AR6 Climate Change 2021:The Physical Science Basis.Archived(PDF) from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved2021-08-26.
^Unver, Edhem (2019). "The Effect of Air Pollution on Respiratory System Disease Admissions and Health Expenditures".Eurasian Journal of Medical Investigation.doi:10.14744/ejmi.2019.56609.S2CID86515826.
^Kara, Orkide Nur (2018)."Air pollution in Istanbul"(PDF).Archived(PDF) from the original on 2021-04-15. Retrieved2020-09-21.When operating at a short distance, a ferry needs a battery that can be charged in the time they are in port. The charging time for short distance ferries is short and therefore the service of transport can stay optimal.
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