Türkiye has set a nationwide expansion target for its Deposit Management System, which is designed to return used beverage containers to the economy. Türkiye Environment Agency president Nurullah Öztürk said the plan calls for 150 counting and verification centers and at least 50,000 return points across the country. He made the announcement at the opening of a new counting and verification line in Bursa.
A target of 50,000 return points
The plan is intended to make it easier for consumers to hand in empty beverage containers at locations they encounter in daily life. According to the official Deposit Information Management System website, supermarkets, shopping centers, grocery stores, kiosks, universities, residential administrations, hospitals, transport terminals and fuel stations can apply to operate as return points. A wider network would reduce reliance on a small number of machines or centralized facilities.
Öztürk said Türkiye has about 25 billion PET, glass and aluminum beverage packages, including imported products. The agency’s stated objective is to collect as many eligible containers as possible and direct them into recovery operations. The figures of 50,000 points and 150 centers describe nationwide targets; they should not be read as the number of facilities currently operating.
Which containers are covered?
The official DBYS information page says the system covers single-use PET, glass and aluminum beverage containers with capacities from 0.1 liters to 3.10 liters. Consumers deliver eligible empty packages to authorized return points. Field operators then move the collected material to recovery facilities, while the deposit value is returned to the consumer under the system’s rules.
Businesses that produce or sell covered drinks, or serve them for on-site consumption, must register with DBYS and meet the obligations attached to their role. Businesses interested in becoming return points can also submit applications through the official platform. The structure is meant to connect producers, retailers, consumers, logistics operators and recovery facilities within one traceable chain.
What counting and verification centers do
Counting and verification centers are used to record collected containers, identify them and check whether they meet the system’s requirements. The new line opened in Bursa was presented as part of the wider infrastructure rollout. Such centers have an operational role in registering material received from the field and helping authorities track its movement toward recycling and recovery.
The official platform states that the system operates under procedures published by the Türkiye Environment Agency. The Turkish State Mint has been authorized to design, launch and operate the information infrastructure and to provide maintenance and support services. Consumers can also use the DOA mobile application and web platform to submit return information and view balances linked to the process.
The target is different from current availability
The announcement did not provide a complete timetable for the nationwide network or a province-by-province allocation of return points. It therefore does not mean that all 50,000 locations are already open. New centers and participating businesses are being incorporated in stages, and local access may vary while the rollout continues.
The expansion will depend not only on the number of return points but also on regular collection, verification, logistics and delivery to recovery facilities. Current notices from the Türkiye Environment Agency and authorized-location information published through DBYS remain the primary references for determining where the system is actually available and how businesses or consumers can participate.
