Filenews 22 October 2023 - by Angelos Nicolaou
The project of separate collection and diversion of hazardous waste from households to licensed hazardous waste management facilities for appropriate treatment was implemented last week. Four mobile units visit selected locations across Cyprus to collect hazardous waste generated by households.
Hazardous waste stems from a range of objects and substances that we use in our daily lives and we may not be aware of their hazards. Everything, in one way or another, returns to our organism and burdens it, but before this return, they have managed to disturb the natural balance, they have poisoned fauna and flora, they have affected the quality of life now and after.
Hazardous waste includes a wide range of products that we use in our homes and are found in our garden, living room, garage. The old water kettle you want to get rid of, the paints left over from freshening up the living room, the expired medicines left in the cupboard, the batteries you changed in an electric toy. All this, and much more, is detrimental to us and our environment if it ends up where it should not.
These are products that after their use or at the end of their life, due to their specific chemical, physical and biological properties, if not properly managed, present a high risk both to the natural environment and to those who come into contact with them during waste collection.
Items that are a source of hazardous waste may be in our home: Car batteries or household batteries, containers containing liquid fuel, car oil, disinfectants and car cleaners, lamps, oil filters, small electrical and electronic appliances, containers containing paint and paint diluents, nail polish remover, liquid lighter, insecticides, medicines, pesticides, chlorine and more. The best thing to do is to identify it as hazardous waste and learn how to manage it.
Through the action of the project, household hazardous waste is divided into the following categories:
1. Batteries (in a cylindrical bucket of AFIS). Dry type household batteries
2. Small electrical and electronic appliances (e.g. toasters, kettles, toasters, juicers, hand mixers, hair dryer, headphones, electric thermometers, telephones)
3. Pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides
4. Pharmaceutical products (Medicinal products are placed in the bin without their paper packaging)
5. Cleaning products (dishwashing and laundry detergents)
6. Printer inks/ toners
7.Paints/lacquers, paints, solvents, varnishes
8. Lubricants, engine oils
In the four mobile units of the Project, the above hazardous household waste can be collected in internally designed areas. Mobile units visit selected locations throughout Cyprus. They remain in each position for a few days and the specialized staff who staff them in order to inform the citizens and students of the area about the need and benefits of separate collection of hazardous waste produced by households. In this way, an effort is made to raise awareness, collect and separate household hazardous waste. Visiting hours from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00p.m.
The location of the four mobile units
As of tomorrow, the network of mobile units will be located in the districts of Larnaka and Nicosia. Monday and Tuesday 23 and 24/10, it will be in Agia Anna (community council), Xylotymbou (community council) and Agia Varvara (community council). Wednesday and Thursday, 25 and 26/10 it will be in Psevda (community council), Oroklini (community council) and Lythrodontas (square) and on Friday 27/10 it will be in Kornos (community council) and Kelia (community council). The whole week 23-27/10 will be located in the Municipality of Strovolos (City Hall parking area).
Project Objectives
The plan of visits has two main objectives concerning geographical coverage and population coverage. In order to achieve the objectives of the project, which are to raise awareness about the prevention, reuse and recycling of household hazardous waste and the increased availability of appropriate waste collection and management, visits to a large number of Local Government Authorities should be organized and as many citizens as possible who will visit the mobile units should be sensitized.
The project emphasizes the following main pillars:
● Raising public awareness through the provision of information on hazardous waste
● The introduction of good practices for hazardous waste management through collection by households with the help of mobile units that will visit Local Government Authorities.
● The awakening of citizens to the need to change the way hazardous waste is managed, which is included in the category of household waste, to a safer way according to each category in which the various hazardous waste streams should be included.
● Enlightening the public about the "waste hierarchy" and the proper way of sorting and managing hazardous waste produced in households.
Minister of Agriculture: Household waste management is a challenge for the state
The management of hazardous waste from households is one of the challenges of the state, given its mandatory separate collection by January 1, 2025, according to the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Petros Xenofontos. Among other things, he referred to action with four mobile units in locations throughout Cyprus, to inform and collect household hazardous waste in appropriately designed areas.
"Today, this waste is either collected and after pre-treatment at the Hazardous Waste Management Center is exported for further processing, or it is collected and utilized for energy recovery at the Vassiliko Cement Works. Specifically, in 2018 almost 3,000 tons were received," he added.
Among the measures of the Municipal Waste Management Plan 2022-2028 that will contribute to the achievement of the target for separate collection, is the project of separate collection of hazardous waste generated by households.
This project is expected to enhance existing HHW management systems from Collective Management Systems, licensed companies and the Network of 23 Green Points.
He also noted that the project "Management of hazardous waste from households" aims to inform and sensitize the public through actions such as visits of the four trailer mobile units, the implementation of the communication strategy, the use of computers in mobile units for electronic data collection, as well as the provision of information material.
The project is funded by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism by €500,000 and is implemented by the Department of Environment from February 2021 until April 2024. "The action with the four trailer mobile units concerns visits to selected locations throughout Cyprus, on the basis of a program, for the information and collection of hazardous household waste in appropriately designed areas," he added.
The first visit took place on October 16, 2023, at Nicosia Municipality, while the plan of visits, with a total duration of six months, specifically from October 2023 to March 2024, was prepared by the Nicosia Development Agency, which will manage the Project.
It is estimated that 250 visits will take place in Municipalities and Communities of Cyprus and this plan is posted on the websites of the project and the Department of Environment and is revised every 15 days. During the visits, the public is informed about household hazardous waste, its classification and how households manage it. The visit plan, with a total duration of six months from October 2023 to March 2024, is revised every 15 days and posted on the websites of the Project and the Department of Environment and on the Project's social media.
The public will be able to leave their hazardous waste in the mobile unit in the various bins that have been configured internally. Specifically, the units will collect waste such as batteries, small electrical and electronic devices, pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides, medicines, cleaning products, printer inks and toners, lacquers, paints, solvents, varnishes, lubricants.
Household hazardous waste is collected and transported to licensed units of collective systems, such as the Hazardous Waste Management Centre in Ypsonas and the facilities of WEEE Cyprus and AFIS in Yeri.
Visits to schools and nursing homes
The management of hazardous waste from households is one of the challenges for the state, given its mandatory separate collection by 1 January 2025. Today, this waste is either collected and after pre-treatment at the Hazardous Waste Management Center is exported for further processing, or collected and utilized for energy recovery at the Vassiliko Cement Works. In particular, almost 2018,3 tons were received in 000. Among the measures of the Municipal Waste Management Plan 2022-2028 that will contribute to the achievement of the goal for separate collection, is the Project of separate collection of hazardous waste produced by households. At the same time, this project is expected to strengthen the existing household hazardous waste management systems, the licensed units of collective systems WEEE and AFIS and the Network of 23 Green Points.
The project "Management of hazardous waste from households" aims to inform and raise public awareness through specific actions. From 16/10/2023 until 20/10/2023, officers of the Department of Environment visit the units in Nicosia and Larnaca and visitors were observed from primary schools (Vrysoules and Ormidia), nursing homes, and the public.
