The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has revealed the hiked administrative fines set to be imposed on those found guilty of environmental pollution in the upcoming year, as declared in the Official Gazette published on Thursday.

In alignment with Environmental Law No. 2872, the notification delineates a significant increase of 58.46% in fines for individuals and organizations found contravening the pertinent regulations in 2024. This surge aligns with the revaluation rate specified by the ministry.

The move signifies a firm stance taken by the government to address and deter environmental transgressions, aiming to promote responsible practices and safeguard the country's ecological welfare.

As of Jan. 1, motor vehicle owners who do not have exhaust gas emission measurements will be fined up to TL 9,943 ($338), and if the same vehicle causes emissions contrary to the standards determined by the regulations, they will pay a fine of TL 19,897.

A penalty of TL 39,797 will be imposed on those who have an Exhaust Gas Emission Authorization Certificate but continue to exceed the limits after the authorization or those who falsify measurements. In addition, those who record emissions without the stipulated documents, those who falsify documents and those who issue fake documents will be fined TL 79,611.

Those who establish and operate facilities that produce certain levels of air pollution without permission from the competent authorities, those who continue to establish and operate despite the cancellation of the permit, who subsequently make changes to these facilities without obtaining permission or do not make the changes deemed necessary by the competent authorities within the allotted time will pay a fine of TL 1,585.

If the emission amounts in these facilities exceed the limits determined by the regulation, the administrative fine to be paid will be TL 929,233.

Those who violate the guidelines of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process will also pay TL 193,522 for each violation.

An administrative fine of TL 1.16 million will be imposed on those who do not establish compulsory waste reception, pre-treatment, purification or disposal facilities or those who do not operate them. The penalty for residences that cause noise and vibration contrary to standards will be TL 7,667, for vehicles TL 23,155, and for workplaces and workshops TL 77,372. For factories, construction sites and entertainment venues, noise fines will be TL 232,264.

With the new regulation, penalties for all marine vessels that pollute the sea have also been increased per gross ton. Those who dump waste without taking precautions will be fined TL 464,585.

If this action is committed in relation to residences, a fine of TL 11,540 will be imposed for each residence and independent section.

A fine of TL 387,141 will be imposed on those who destroy biological diversity, those who violate the protection and use principles determined for the declared Special Environmental Protection Areas, and those who violate the protection and use procedures and principles determined by the regulation for wetlands.

Those who burn underbrush illegally will pay TL 386 for each decare. If the burning is conducted in places adjacent to forests, wetlands and residential areas, the penalty will be increased five times.

An administrative fine of TL 929,233 will be imposed on those who discharge waste into protected drinking and potable water areas, including the water source itself, the surface and underground water feeding this source, and irrigation and drainage channels. If this act is committed in relation to residences, the penalty amount for each residence and independent section will be TL 23,155.

Those who collect, transport, temporarily and intermediately store, recover, recycle, reuse or dispose of waste in violation of the procedures and principles, prohibitions or limitations in the relevant legislation will be fined between TL 433,180 and TL 1,732,780, and those who import will be fined up to TL 1,443,397.

A fine of TL 4,810 will be issued to those who pollute the environment in public places. With the regulation, the penalty amounts for those who allow hazardous waste to enter the country and those who collect, store and export it illegally have also been increased.

Sales points that are found to give plastic bags free of charge in violation of the relevant legislation or contrary to the procedures and principles determined by the ministry will be fined up to TL 79.59 for each square meter of the closed sales area, excluding the warehouse area. Those who sell electronically will be fined from TL 14,432 to TL 144,339.

In addition, a penalty of TL 72,169 will be imposed on those who produce or supply plastic bags that violate the procedures and principles determined by the ministry. If the producer is outside the country, the representative authorized by the manufacturer and the importer, and those who do not comply with the principles regarding the recycling contribution share will be fined up to TL 7,216.

The penalty to be paid by those who do not submit a greenhouse gas emission monitoring plan or do not update it within the time limit, contrary to the prohibitions or limitations on monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, has increased to TL 115,471. The penalty for those who have not submitted a verified greenhouse gas emission report within the time limit has increased to TL 173,207.

The charges for participating in the deposit application collection system will be fined up to TL 96,226 for those who distribute depositable products, TL 72.95 per square meter of activity space for those supplying these products to users or consumers, and TL 481 per square meter of sales area for outlets not complying with the deposit system's requirements.