Filenews 8 January 2023 - by Angelos Nicolaou
An integrated municipal waste management system through the Municipal Waste Management Plan 2022-2028 (SDS), the Government is in a position to proceed. And all this in an effort to promote the implementation of separate collection and separate collection, to promote waste reduction measures in all economic sectors as well as to provide incentives to local government to implement 'Pay As You Throw' systems, as well as information and awareness measures. The Environmental Authority has approved the Strategic Environmental Impact Study (SEA) regarding the Municipal Waste Management Plan 2022-2028.
At a time when climate change and the need for a wider application of the Sustainable Development Goal in all aspects of modern life are a key priority, Cyprus faces the challenge of designing and implementing a Municipal Waste Management Plan that takes these priorities and challenges into account, shifting the centre of gravity from the landfill of waste as the main method of waste management to its highest levels. the development of a circular economy with a more efficient use of waste as a resource with an emphasis on separate collection.
In order for Cyprus to meet its obligations to the EU and to develop an integrated and sustainable approach to waste management that is in line with the European Waste Strategy and the Europe 2020 Strategy, qualitative and quantitative targets and actions have been set for the next six years.
The immediate factors taken into account when reviewing infrastructure capacity are: • Increasing the organic fraction including green (pruning) from separate collection and ensuring sufficient capacity of dedicated organic waste treatment plants for quality compost or anaerobic digestion. • Increase the recycling rate from separate collection and separate collection of municipal waste. •Reduction of mixed waste: Integrated Waste Management Facilities (IWTP) are estimated to have overcapacity due to the projected reduction of mixed waste. Therefore, they can be partially converted/readjusted into treatment plants for the collection of separately collected organic waste for the production of quality compote.
The Plan sets as a measure the upgrading of the Koshi OEDA unit, so that mixed waste and organic waste collected separately from the districts of Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta are managed. Respectively, the Pentakomou OEDA is also proposed to be upgraded, aiming at the acceptance of mixed waste and the district of Paphos and the management of organic waste collected separately from the district of Limassol.
Cyprus is lagging behind the EU's 2030 waste management targets. Specifically, while the recycling target for municipal waste for the EU was 60% of the total quantity, we see that Cyprus, by the year 2019, has achieved only 18%. It is noted that the recycling target for 2020 was 50% recycling on the produced recyclable materials. Regarding the percentage of municipal waste that must be landfilled, the EU target for the year 2030 is 10% at maximum, Cyprus for the year 2019, continues to bury 81% of its municipal waste in landfills.
Municipal waste management objectives
>Recycling of at least: 55% of municipal waste by weight by 2025, 60% of municipal waste by weight by 2030, 65% of municipal waste by weight by 2035.
>Separate collection or recycling at source of organic waste until 31/12/2023. Separate collection of textiles and hazardous waste generated by households by 1.1.2025.
>Recycling of packaging waste to a minimum: 65% by weight by 2025 and 70% by weight by 2030.
>Separate collection of at least 65% of electrical and electronic equipment sold or 85% of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated. Separate collection of 45% of waste batteries and accumulators.
>Reduce food waste generation by 50% by 2030.
>Reduce the landfilling of municipal waste to 10% or less of the total amount produced by 2035.
Mixed waste management measures by province provide for:
>Districts of Paphos and Limassol • Treatment of the total quantities of mixed waste of the 2 districts at the Mechanical-Biological Treatment plant in Pentakomo. • Assessment of the possibility of expanding or creating a new waste-derived fuel line (RDF) for processing the total amount of residue of the mechanical sorting of the 2 provinces.
>Districts of Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta:• Processing of the total quantities of mixed waste of the 3 districts at the Mechanical-Biological Treatment plant in Koshi.• Evaluation of the possibility of creating new SRF (solid recovered fuel) and RDF lines for processing the total amount of residue of the mechanical sorting of the 3 districts.
RDF management:• Evaluate possible solutions for the availability of RDF in existing drives. • Assessment of the need for the construction of a waste-to-energy plant for the acceptance of the RDF of the two OEDAs.
Organic waste management
LIMASSOL DISTRICT-Implementation of separate collection of organic waste. Installation of community and household composters. Collection of green waste at the green points and its transfer to licensed units for treatment. Investigation of the possibility of treating separately collected organic waste.
PAFOS DISTRICT- Implementation of separate collection of organic waste. Installation of community and household composters. Collection of green waste at the green points and its transfer to licensed units for treatment. Construction of a new central anaerobic digestion/composting plant in Paphos. Study and creation of transit stations.
NICOSIA DISTRICT- Implementation of separate collection of organic waste. Installation of community and household composters. Collection of green waste at the green points and its transfer to licensed units for treatment. Construction of a new pasteurization and anaerobic digestion plant or composting plant in Nicosia or Koshi. Study and creation of a transit station.
PROVINCE OF LARNACA - Implementation of separate collection of organic waste. Installation of community and household composters. Collection of green waste at the green points and its transfer to licensed units for treatment. Investigation of the possibility of treating separately collected organic waste.
FAMAGUSTA DISTRICT- Implementation of separate collection of organic waste. Installation of community and household composters.
PANCYPRIA-Measures to strengthen infrastructure for the management of recyclable waste from separate collection on a pancyprian scale: Creation of R13 facilities for the storage of recyclables. Assessment of the need to establish an R12 pre-treatment plant or an R13 storage unit for bulky waste. Creation of transshipment stations to serve remote areas.
A solution is being sought for the Paphos landfills
In 2018, the European Commission prepared the Early Warning Report for the country, which reported the significant risk of Cyprus not achieving the 50% recycling / preparing for re-use target of municipal waste for 2020, as set out in Article 11 of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD).
In this context, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment has prepared the Municipal Waste Management Strategy 2022-2028, with the main purpose of defining the framework of actions and measures to be implemented in the next six years in the field of municipal waste management.
During the preparation of the strategy, a feasibility study was prepared by the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL) which examined alternative options and proposals for the optimization of the Municipal Waste Management Plan (FMP).
The study examined the need for the construction of a mixed waste treatment plant in Paphos or the need for modification/upgrading of the Limassol OEDA, in combination with additional Waste Transfer Stations or even partial treatment in Paphos, thus reducing transport costs.
The FMPD proposes to increase the potential capacity of the OEDA in Limassol to treat the waste of the Pafos district that arises before it is disposed of in landfills. This is likely to be the quickest and simplest solution to address the issues of Paphos landfills.
The study examined the operation and effectiveness of the Limassol OEDA (Pentakomo) and the submission of proposals for its improvement.
The UNCRPD proposes three main improvements: (a) an increase in anaerobic digestion/bio-drying capacity, (b) the creation of a pasteurisation unit and (c) the conversion of a section for the organic mixed waste fraction into an anaerobic digestion section for separate collection organic waste. The findings of the feasibility study suggest that two points (a) and (c) should proceed and that (b) would not be necessary with the installation of an anaerobic digestion plant in Paphos.
During the preparation of the SDS, the need for the construction of a third treatment plant in the District of Paphos for mixed waste or the upgrading of the Limassol OEDA (Pentakomo), in combination with the construction of additional Waste Transfer Stations or even partial treatment in Paphos to reduce transport costs, was assessed.
From the evaluation and taking into account the separate collection that will be established by the local authorities and as a result the reduction in the quantities of mixed waste produced, it was considered that the Pentakomou OEDA will have excess capacity, which will be sufficient for the treatment of municipal waste of the Pafos district.
The upgrading or modification of the Koshi OEDA for the management of all waste from the districts of Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta is one of the options that the designers of the IMPEL network were also invited to consider.
The FMPD proposes a) the creation of a pasteurization unit and b) the partial conversion of the Koshi facility to allow the biostabilization of green waste.
The Koshi facility is currently taking all waste from the Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta districts as a result of the closure of illegal landfills.
The introduction of separate collections and the amendment put in place for green waste will allow for the continuous treatment of waste from these three areas.
As an alternative, it is proposed to consider the construction of a new anaerobic digestion/composting plant in an area of Nicosia, or alternatively in the Koshi area.
Also, as another alternative for organic waste management infrastructure, it is proposed to examine the possibility of establishing pasteurization units for the acceptance of waste in privately owned anaerobic digestion units near the Nicosia or Koshi area.
The organic waste stream is a big problem for the management and especially for the transport as due to the climatic conditions prevailing during the summer months cause odors and nuisances.
For this reason, it is considered important to locate the new anaerobic digestion / composting plant in an area of Nicosia so that the transport of waste is short and if necessary to build a new unit in Koshi.
Regarding the infrastructure for repair and reuse, two reuse / repair centres will be built, two strategic points, in Koshi and Agios Silas, Limassol.
Alternatively, one point can be located instead of Koshi in an area in Dali where it will be closer to the city of Nicosia.
A "Pay as You Throw" system is implemented
The "Pay As You Throw" – "PDO" system is a system of taxation of waste management services, based on the "polluter pays" principle. Under this system, the fees paid by each household for the management of its waste (also known as waste fees) are linked to the amount (weight or volume) of residual waste generated by the household. This quantity excludes materials that the household recycles or composts. The implementation of the PDO system therefore gives a financial incentive to each household, or the business, to reduce its waste, while actively participating in recycling and composting.
In July 2022, the regulations that will provide for the mandatory introduction of PDO systems by all local authorities were voted (Κ.Δ.Π 292/2022). The Structural Funds will support local authorities with the development of the PDO, with a total amount of funding of around €25 million.
Impact
In an effort to address the impact and achieve targets, support should be given to local authorities for the creation of community composting units and the promotion of home composting, as a short-term measure for the treatment of separately collected organic waste. New green waste composting plants need to be developed, while implementing incentives for the use of compost.
Furthermore, it is proposed to implement a communication strategy to promote the separate collection of organic waste as soon as possible in order to inform and prepare the public for future actions.
Mandatory implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) and Best Available Waste Management Techniques by professionals active in the waste management sector
The measures include a regulation on end-of-waste criteria for construction and demolition waste as secondary raw materials for road construction and mandatory use in public works.
A permanent storage arrangement (D12) for the safe and long-term storage of waste intended/prepared for recovery through an expected future innovative process (such as R3 for plastics, R4 for WEEE electronic plates and batteries and accumulators) is promoted as a measure to prevent illegal dumping or export.
Countermeasures include Green Public Procurement. That is, to promote the inclusion of circular economy principles in public procurement procedures in line with the Green Public Procurement Handbook issued by the European Commission.
This includes support for enforcement by local authorities to reduce waste and involve citizens in corresponding actions. Legislation on Sustainable Products Policy is proposed, such as recyclability standards, bans, public disclosure requirements on pollutants, liability for hazardous materials and waste, and environmental permits.
Another measure is to support Research and Development (R&D) in ecodesign in order to achieve cleaner products and products that use fewer raw materials, while making the results public.
For each new installation, the location should be examined in relation to its activities and should be located only within the urban planning zone which is intended to host the specific activities. In the context of the examination of each project, to provide instructions to interested Operators on the adoption of climate change measures. For each new project that is planned to prepare an Environmental Baseline Survey (EBS) for the area that will be assessed as falling within the radius of influence from each project. Depending on the type of project, its location, the individual projects foreseen and the expected effects on the environment, the Environmental Background Study should include individual Studies or Reports (e.g. Hydrological Study, Fauna Recording Study, etc.) as necessary.
Separate collection
The reduce, reuse and separate collection measures provide for:• Green Points Network expansion program• Creation of 2 Reuse / Repair Centers in Nicosia and Limassol and a network of reuse stores in large cities. The centres will work in synergy with green points and green kiosks.• Creation of a network of 50 Green Pavilions in remote areas.• Mandatory sorting at source in households, tourist facilities and industry and Pay-As-Throw systems. • Municipal waste reduction program on the Limassol-Paphos coastal front.• Sorting systems at the source of municipal waste in mountainous Cyprus. • Streamlining and standardization of end-of-waste procedures and regulation of a stable and safe market for secondary materials. • Promote the inclusion of circular economy principles in public procurement procedures.• Limit the production and consumption of single-use plastics and products containing microplastics.• Create a platform for food waste and agricultural waste to promote food donation and local initiatives.• Implement the system to measure food waste.• Promote eco-design of products for the creation of new products and circularity services. • Examination of the possibility of applying reduced taxation for second-hand and repaired items.• Promotion of the donation and reuse of clothes and food donation.• Support for local initiatives to reduce food waste.• Support and grants to enhance business investments in the circular economy.• Exploitation in the market of collected marine litter.• Technical and administrative support and consulting services.• De-waste status and industrial symbiosis.• Circular economy platform for the exchange of resources.
• Review of extended producer responsibility schemes. • Establishment of extended producer responsibility schemes for additional waste streams, such as bulky waste, etc. • Regulation of financial contributions to collective schemes to take into account the durability of the product, its reparability, its reusability, recyclability and the presence of hazardous substances. • Ensuring the achievement of management objectives. • Ensure that financial measures in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are based on a product life-cycle approach. • Coverage of minimum requirements set out in the Law. • Implementation of sponsorship and return and refill systems.
INTERVENTION
From burial to sorting at source
The management of municipal waste is one of the biggest challenges faced by the Republic of Cyprus, given the large quantities of municipal waste generated per inhabitant per year and the low recycling rates. The strategy and management plan are certainly in the right direction since they lay the foundations for an integrated approach to waste management, with the big bet being the reduction of greenhouse gases produced by waste and their landfill.
Based on the data to date, the citizen-consumer hardly adapts and for this purpose few are those who today recycle and all waste ends up in the management units. In addition to measures, therefore, incentives are needed for households to benefit from separate collection of the other measures included in the strategy.
