Tracing the (In)visibility of Waste Flows towards Adana

Abstract

This paper investigates the visibility and invisibility of waste flows through the case of plastic waste transported to Adana, Türkiye. It argues that, unlike climate and energy crises, waste has not been incorporated into planetary visual narratives to the same extent because its impacts are spatially concentrated and follow specific geographical routes. Drawing on concepts such as the Anthropocene, Wasteocene, wasteways, assemblage, and spatial justice, the study develops an interscalar approach for understanding waste as both a material and relational phenomenon. The research examines Türkiye’s growing role in the global plastic waste trade, particularly imports from the United Kingdom and European Union countries, and explores how these flows create spatial and environmental challenges. Using multi-scalar mapping, the study visualises waste generation, circulation routes, recycling infrastructure, and waste accumulation sites in Adana. Particular attention is given to waste sites documented by Greenpeace in the areas of Karahan, Kuyumcular, Yenidam, and Dedepınarı. The findings demonstrate that waste operates simultaneously at planetary and urban scales, reinforcing centre–periphery relationships and revealing connections between urbanisation, environmental degradation, political economy, and spatial injustice. The paper concludes that visualising waste flows offers a critical tool for understanding the intersection of urban and environmental crises and for rethinking waste as a complex, multi-layered structure rather than merely a discarded object.