A model study on recycling economy in the world

Throughout history, societies have needed suitable living spaces to survive and have created collective and new living spaces, taking into account basic needs such as nutrition and shelter. These needs and searches have continued as long as humanity has existed, and large living spaces have been established in suitable regions. The expansion of new settlements, the rapid increase in the population, the industrial revolution and the subsequent rapid development of technology have also increased waste production. The increasing amount of waste has not only had negative effects on natural resources, but has also begun to pose a risk to human and environmental health. Climatic changes and rapidly increasing population around the world have led to the depletion of natural resources and revealed more efficient waste management. This situation, along with governments' efforts to increase environmental awareness, has caused recycling to become widespread. With the full and effective use of products produced from limited resources, interest in reusing them through chemical and physical processes or using them for different purposes has also increased. Manufacturers' desire to reduce costs and offer better quality products, and consumers' desire to have better quality products at lower prices, have brought recycling practices to the fore. Recycling is considered a productive economic investment in the long term. Economic problems may arise as a result of the decrease in the amount of raw materials in the world and the rapid depletion of natural resources. In this context, recycling has many positive effects on the economy. Reducing the consumption of energy and natural resources through recycling activities is of great importance among the priorities of the country's economy. In this study, the socio-economic determinants of five different packaging wastes were examined. In five different models used, the data of 23 EU countries between the years 2005 and 2021 were examined with the panel data analysis method. It is aimed that the results obtained will contribute to the development of recycling policies for Türkiye.