Filenews 26 February 2024 - by Angelos Nicolaou
In recent years, high-risk waste management facilities such as recyclable materials, biodegradable waste, construction and demolition waste, end-of-life vehicle waste, waste electrical electronic equipment and others have increased significantly.
Due to their high risk, they must be monitored and controlled frequently. Besides, the possibility of an accident cannot be ruled out no matter how many measures are taken. Therefore, the same operators of waste management facilities should daily and systematically take all reasonably practicable measures to prevent fire risks.
Approaching the spring season, the risks for fires in such facilities are increasing and it is necessary to ensure the implementation of the 10 measures taken at the highest level, at a meeting chaired by the President of the Republic in the presence of the Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment and Labour, the Deputy Minister to the President and other state officials. At this meeting on 26/7/2023, it was decided to take a series of measures to prevent and reduce the risks of fires in waste management units.
In an effort to deal as effectively as possible with and prevent fire prevention risks in specific waste management facilities, inspection campaigns are carried out jointly with the Fire Service. Following the joint inspections, the Fire Service submitted relevant reports with recommendations and measures to be taken by the facilities in order to prevent and deal with fire incidents.
The Department of Environment in relevant letters to the facilities requested that they proceed with all measures, according to the observations of the Fire Service. Following the letters of compliance, repeat inspections were carried out at the premises by inspectors of the Department of Environment, to check their compliance with the oral and written instructions / suggestions given to them and penalties were imposed in similar cases. Following the campaign and the relevant inspection reports, immediate measures are taken on a case-by-case basis for the implementation and enforcement of penalties provided for in the current legislation, including compliance letters, out-of-court regulation, report to the Attorney General for criminal prosecution and/or prohibitive notice.
Furthermore, new inspections of the Department of Environment are planned jointly with the Fire Service and the Department of Labour Inspection in 40 selected waste management units, as well as other high-risk facilities, industries and warehouses next March.
Recently, a supplementary budget was approved by the Ministry of Finance for the creation of a separate Special Sector for Environmental Controls in the Department of Environment with sole responsibility for environmental audits / inspections. It concerns Measure 10 – Creation of an Inspection Branch in the Department of Environment and the recruitment of 15 officers and technicians is foreseen, who will be dedicated exclusively to controls and inspections. The implementation of this area is expected in the first half of 2024.
Measure 9 – Emergency Plans is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. The General Directorate of Environment held meetings with representatives of the Fire Service, the Department of Environment, the Department of Labour Inspection, the Civil Defence, the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, the Department of Town Planning and Housing, as well as with the municipalities of Tseri, Dali, Geri, Ypsonas, the community of Kalavasos and the municipalities of Larnaka and Aradippou and the Community Council of Lympia for the industrial zone of Koshi. It has been agreed that the Department of Environment will hire an Inspector with purchase of services, who will act under the instructions of the Chief Inspector for monitoring the Industrial Zones of Dali, Tseri and Geri. For the Vasilikos Energy Center and the Kalavasos Industrial Zone, a corresponding inspector has already been employed. The model of the inspector with purchase of services is also seriously studied by the municipality of Ypsonas.
The Civil Defence prepares External Emergency Plans only for installations falling under the SEVESO Directive, as mentioned in the relevant Regulations (K.D.P. 347/2015). Therefore, for the industrial zones of Dali, Geri and Tseri, no such plans were made because there are no SEVESO units in these areas. The same applies to the Industrial Zone of Kalavasos and Ypsonas.
In addition, the Department of Labour Inspection implements Measure 7 – Additional obligations in units adjacent to SEVESO units. A draft Regulations were prepared with the aim of increasing obligations and safety measures in workplaces where chemicals are present in quantities equal to or greater than 75% of the limit quantities set out in the existing Regulations, in workplaces adjacent to SEVESO units and in workplaces within the Vasilikos Energy Center.
Severe penalties are provided for by law
The Department of Environment implements six measures. In close cooperation with the Fire Service, it implements Measure 1 – Inspections in high-risk waste management units. A list of 40 waste management facilities has been prepared and an inspection programme drawn up. It was decided to establish the annual assessment of High Risk Waste Management Units through joint inspections of the Department of Environment and the Fire Service.
Measure 2 – Update and Amendment of a Waste Management Permit (SAA). Given that the process of amending the SAA is time-consuming, it was decided to prepare a Decree of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment on fire prevention measures in accordance with article 54(5)(b) of the Waste Laws, which also determines the transitional periods of their application.
Measure 3 – Amount of Guarantee and possible increase of penalties. The amount of the guarantees does not need to be regulated by law, since it is determined by decision of the Director of the Department of Environment. According to the Waste Laws of 2011 to 2022, is there an out-of-court regulation? Trial up to €20.000, administrative sanctions up to €500.000 and criminal prosecution with penalties up to 3 years in prison and / or fine up to €500.000.
Measure 4 – Safety distances between waste heaps. The reassessment of safety distances between waste piles stored will be achieved through the general conditions prepared by the Fire Service.
Measure 5 – Creation of Producer Responsibility for additional waste streams. With regard to low-value recyclable materials or plastics that are difficult to recycle, etc., the use of variable charges through the collective systems operating for the various waste streams will be examined.
Measure 6 – Creation of a Group of Experts. The Department of Environment informed the stakeholders in a letter dated 31/10/2023 that it has been decided to establish a team of experts which will be coordinated by the Chief Inspector of the Department of Environment, and in this will participate the Fire Service, officers of the Department of Environment and other Departments of the Ministry of Environment.
Assessment of existing industrial zones and areas
The Department of Town Planning and Housing, which implements Measure 8 – Evaluation of Existing Industrial Zones and Areas, following consultation with the Department of Environment, recommended to the Minister of Interior the amendment of the provisions of the South Nicosia Local Plan to limit the permitted nuisance industrial developments within industrial zones. Similar restrictions were placed on the provisions of the Tseri Local Plan. Regarding the Industrial Zone of Category A of Geri, which falls within the boundaries of the Nicosia Local Plan, the Department of Town Planning and Housing is studying other solutions until the revision of this Local Plan, such as the designation of a White Zone, for the exclusion of nuisance industrial categories.
At the same time, it prepared maps per province, showing the proximity of industrial and craft zones and areas to Development Zones. The maps indicate the category A heavy nuisance zones closest to residential zones and will form the basis for the ongoing consultation with all stakeholders and the further assessment of the degree of risk and incompatibility of these zones.
