The House Environment Committee must decide by 31 August whether to introduce an additional levy on local authorities for waste sent to landfill, DISY MP Andreas Constantinou said on Wednesday.
Speaking after a committee meeting, Constantinou said the proposed charge stems from commitments made by the state to secure European Union funding. However, he argued that the "Pay As You Throw" waste charging scheme should have been implemented first to encourage households to reduce the amount of waste they produce.
"The only way to reduce residents' waste charges is through the 'Pay As You Throw' scheme," he said, adding that the government bears significant responsibility for failing to introduce it.
No recycling
Constantinou also criticised both the state and local authorities for delays in implementing wider waste management reforms.
He said local authorities had yet to roll out the scheme, while the country's lack of facilities to process organic waste and limited recycling capacity remained major shortcomings.
As an example, he said that in Paphos district all household waste continues to be sent to landfill without undergoing any recycling.
Source: CNA
