30.12.2025 14:10
The penalties that the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change will impose on individuals and organizations that violate the Environmental Law in 2026 have been announced. Accordingly, the penalty amount for residential buildings that cause noise and vibration in violation of standards will be 13,847 lira, for transportation vehicles it will be 41,820 lira, for workplaces and workshops it will be 139,746 lira, and for factories and construction sites, it will be 419,509 lira.
The penalties that the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change will impose on individuals and organizations acting against the Environmental Law in 2026 have been announced. The "Regulation on Administrative Fines to be Imposed Under the Environmental Law No. 2872" has been published in the Official Gazette for those who pollute the environment.
In this context, the penalty amounts to be applied under Article 20 of the Environmental Law have been updated in line with the revaluation rate determined as 25.49%. Starting from the new year, those who do not have exhaust gas emission measurements will pay a fine of 17,957 lira. If the same vehicle causes emissions contrary to the standards set by regulations, the fine will be 35,936 lira. Additionally, motor vehicle owners using the vehicle without an exhaust gas emission control system will also face a fine of 17,957 lira.
PENALTY OF 71,879 LIRA FOR MEASUREMENTS CONTRARY TO RULES
Those who have an Exhaust Gas Emission Authorization Certificate but continue to measure despite losing the conditions regulated by the regulation after authorization, or those who conduct measurements contrary to the technique and established rules, will be fined 71,879 lira.
Those who establish and operate facilities subject to permission due to the effects of air pollution without obtaining permission from the competent authorities, continue to establish and operate despite the cancellation of the permit, make changes in these facilities without permission, or do not make the changes deemed necessary by the competent authorities within the specified time will pay a fine of 839,122 lira. Furthermore, if the emission amounts in these facilities exceed the limits set by the regulation, the administrative fine will be 1,678,359 lira.
ADMINISTRATIVE FINE FOR THOSE NOT COMPLYING WITH CRITERIA
Administrative fines will be imposed on those who do not comply with the principles and criteria determined by the Ministry regarding the storage, filling, and transportation of gasoline and diesel, as well as any equipment used at terminals, filling islands, or fuel stations. In this context, an administrative fine of 521,404 lira will be applied for terminals or filling islands, 260,701 lira for fuel stations, and 26,065 lira for tankers. Those who import or sell substances that do not meet solid fuel characteristics, or those who do not comply with regulations regarding the storage, transportation, loading, unloading, or bagging of solid fuels will be fined 143,791 lira. If documents or permits are not obtained, the fine will be 215,693 lira.
PENALTY FOR HOUSING CAUSING NOISE AND VIBRATION
Those who act contrary to the commitments made during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process will pay 394,534 lira for each violation. Additionally, fines for marine vehicles that pollute the sea have also been increased per gross ton. Those who do not establish or operate mandatory waste collection, pre-treatment, treatment, or disposal facilities will face an administrative fine of 2,097,997 lira.
The penalty amount for residences causing noise and vibration contrary to standards will be 13,847 lira, for transportation vehicles 41,820 lira, for workplaces and workshops 139,746 lira, and for factories and construction sites 419,509 lira. The penalty for entertainment noise has also been set at 419,509 lira.
Those who discharge waste into the soil in a manner contrary to the standards set forth in the law and regulations, or without taking precautions, will be fined 839,122 lira, and if this act is committed in relation to residences, a fine of 20,842 lira will be imposed for each residence and independent section. This penal responsibility will fall on the user in detached houses, and on the manager in other residences.
PENALTY FOR STUBBLE BURNING INCREASED
Those who destroy biodiversity, act contrary to the protection and usage principles determined for declared Special Environmental Protection Areas, and those who act contrary to the protection and usage procedures and principles determined by regulation for wetlands will face a penalty of 699,245 lira. Those who burn stubble in violation of the law will pay 698.62 lira per decare. If the act of stubble burning is committed in areas adjacent to forests and wetlands or in populated areas, the penalty will be increased fivefold.
Those who discharge waste into drinking and usage water protection areas, the source itself, and the surface and groundwater feeding this source, as well as irrigation and drainage channels, contrary to the protection principles in the law will be fined 1,678,359 lira. If this act is committed in relation to residences, the penalty amount will be 41,820 lira for each residence and independent section. Those who collect, transport, temporarily and intermittently store, recycle, provide recycling, reuse, or dispose of waste contrary to the procedures and principles, prohibitions, or restrictions in the regulations will be fined between 782,106 lira and 3,128,439 lira, while importers will pay 2,607,030 lira.
PENALTY FOR PROCEDURALLY INCORRECT PLASTIC BAGS
The penalty for those who pollute the environment in any way in public places has been set at 8,687 lira. With the regulation, the penalties for those who facilitate the entry of hazardous waste into the country, those who collect, store, or export in violation of the law have also been increased.
For sales points that provide plastic bags free of charge or in violation of the procedures and principles determined by the Ministry, a fine of 143.75 lira will be applied for each square meter of closed sales area, excluding storage area, while those selling electronically will face fines ranging from 26,065 lira to 260,701 lira.
Additionally, those producing plastic bags contrary to the procedures and principles determined by the Ministry, suppliers, representatives authorized by the producer if the producer is outside Turkey, and/or importers will face a penalty of 130,348 lira, and those who do not comply with the principles determined regarding the recycling participation fee will also face a penalty of 13,032 lira.