Türkiye’s Lake Tuz produces microplastic-free salt for global markets

Salt harvested from Lake Tuz, one of Türkiye’s largest salt deposits, is collected without exposure to microplastic contamination and meets both domestic demand and international markets across more than 50 countries on five continents.

Located about 150 kilometers from Ankara, Lake Tuz is the country’s second-largest lake and draws attention for its striking natural landscape and its role as a habitat for rare bird species. Because it sits in a closed basin with no outflow, water in the lake undergoes intense evaporation, allowing salt to crystallize naturally without contact with the sea – and without exposure to microplastics. Formed over thousands of years of geological processes, the lake’s salt not only contributes to the Turkish economy but also remains a key element of the lake’s natural beauty.

Mert Günay, deputy general manager of Koyuncu Tuz, said the salt crystallizes naturally as the lake water evaporates, and harvested salt is first washed before further processing.

“The salt undergoes drying and sieving. We separate it into different granule sizes depending on demand and package it accordingly,” Günay said. “This way, we provide consumers not only with table salt but also with formats used across food, industrial, chemical, pharmaceutical, leather, and textile sectors.”

Günay said Lake Tuz supplies about 70% of Türkiye’s salt needs.

He emphasized that salt harvesting at Lake Tuz is conducted within a natural, clean ecosystem. “After salts formed in solution within the basin naturally evaporate in June and July, we harvest the resulting crystals using specialized machinery. These go through all necessary processing stages before reaching our customers,” Günay explained.

Unlike other salt sources, Lake Tuz is inland and not connected to the sea, which prevents microplastic contamination commonly found in sea salts. “This allows us to produce cleaner, higher-quality salt for both domestic and international markets,” Günay said.

He also highlighted the lake’s ecological and cultural significance. “Lake Tuz is not just a production site; it is a natural geographic area. We operate within a region recognized by UNESCO on the Cultural Heritage List. The area serves as a migration point for endemic bird species, and micro-organisms like Artemia salina, a food source for flamingos, thrive here. These factors make Lake Tuz unique in Türkiye and globally.”