The referral of Cyprus to the Court of Justice of the European Union over the improper treatment of waste concerns compliance issues identified in previous years, for which corrective action is already under way, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment has said. In a statement, the ministry acknowledged that the challenges in waste management are real and said a systematic effort is being made to address them.
What the referral concerns
According to the ministry, the referral relates to the failure to subject waste to appropriate treatment before landfilling, mainly in connection with the management of municipal waste in Paphos district.
It also concerns, more broadly, the failure to establish an integrated and adequate network of waste management facilities in Cyprus.
Ministry acknowledges the challenges
The ministry said the challenges are real and are being addressed through specific planning. This includes both immediate interventions and the implementation of long-term planning for the transition to a modern and sustainable waste management system.
Immediate measures at Pentakomo and Koshi
According to the ministry, immediate planning concerns necessary interventions for the operation and upgrading of the integrated waste management facilities (OEDA) at Pentakomo and Koshi.
A key aim is that the infrastructure to be created in the coming period, as a transitional solution, can be used as far as possible in the future waste management system, so that the investment has long-term value.
Plans for Paphos district
For Paphos district, the ministry said the immediate goal is to develop infrastructure that will help reduce the volume of waste disposed of as mixed municipal waste, by diverting both recyclable materials and organic waste.
Focus on separate collection and recycling
The ministry said emphasis is being placed on expanding the separate collection of individual waste streams, making the best possible use of existing infrastructure, and promoting practices that directly contribute to increasing recycling and reducing landfilling.
"The solutions being promoted are comprehensive and multidimensional and concern the whole of Cyprus, including remote communities. The success of these actions, however, depends on the cooperation of all those involved," the ministry stressed.
A shared responsibility
"The transition to a modern and sustainable waste management system is a common national goal and a shared responsibility for all of us," the statement concluded.
