The management of municipal waste is one of the biggest challenges facing the Republic of Cyprus, given the highly ambitious targets and ever-increasing obligations of the EU to reduce, separate collection, reuse, recycle and reduce landfilling.
Two years ago, in July 2022, decisions on municipal waste management were taken by local authorities, which provide for the mandatory implementation of source sorting and separate collection of municipal waste and Pay as You Throw systems by June 30, 2024. The timetable has expired and now everyone is running for actions aimed at achieving European goals and obligations to be put in place by 2025.
In order to achieve the targets, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (YGAAP) is proceeding with the implementation of the Municipal Waste Management Plan 2022 – 2028, which was adopted by the Council of Ministers in July 2022 and includes a total of 59 measures with a budget of more than €92 million, for the implementation of several of which the Government has secured co-financing from European Funds. The measures of the Plan aim at the two important parameters concerning (a) the separate collection of municipal waste to increase recycling and reuse rates and the reduction of the quantities of municipal waste ending up in landfills and (b) the creation of an integrated and appropriate network for the treatment of mixed and separately collected waste.
In this context, important actions are underway for the management of municipal solid waste, for the transition to the circular economy, for the reduction of waste to the minimum possible level and the diversion to landfill only of residual waste. Several of which are expected to be implemented in a number of municipalities and community clusters in 2025. The beginning will take place next November in the Municipality of Aradippou.
These are projects to enhance the separate collection and sorting at source of the Department of Environment and specifically the project for the establishment of a Pay as You Fly with a prepaid bag system, the projects for the installation of 50 green recycling kiosks and six community composters in mountainous and remote communities, the project for the creation of two reuse and repair centers and a network of shops, the project for the management of solid waste in hotels and related areas on the coastal fronts of the districts of Limassol and Paphos. In addition, the projects of the Water Development Department for the expansion of the network of green points and the rehabilitation of the Uncontrolled Waste Disposal Sites (illegal landfills) are included.
Separate collection is an important pillar of municipal waste management and therefore an obligation for local authorities as of 30 June 2024. However, in the context of the implementation of the projects and the provision of the necessary support to the local authorities, aiming at the proper design of the systems, the implementation of the separate collection and the pay-as-you-throw pricing policy that accompanies it will be done gradually with the aim of full implementation by all local authorities by the end of 2025.
Pay as you throw system
The project for the "Establishment of a Source Sorting System and Separate Collection of Recyclable and Organic / Biological Waste and implementation of the Pay as You Throw (PDO) system with a prepaid bag", with a total budget of €25,000,000, is implemented under the Cohesion Policy Programme "THALEIA 2021-2027" with the aim of financially supporting local authorities to establish sorting at source and separate collection and implementing a pricing policy with Prepaid bag for households and with prepaid bin for large and special producers for mixed waste management. The implementation will be gradually started by the Local Government Authorities in 2024 with the Municipality of Aradippou and will be followed by the rest of the Municipalities and Community Complexes to be completed in 2025.
Organic waste
In relation to small clusters of communities in mountainous and remote areas, the separate collection of organic waste is promoted through the program for the prevention of separate collection and utilization of municipal waste in mountainous/semi-mountainous Cyprus, the project for the installation of six community composters and 16,500 home composters in mountainous and remote areas of all districts. Similarly, the municipal solid waste programme for coastal hotel and related tourism infrastructure promotes the installation of equipment for recyclable materials and organic waste in 12 Municipalities and Communities in the districts of Limassol and Paphos.
Furthermore, the treatment of separately collected organic waste is promoted. In the Districts of Nicosia and Larnaka, the upgrading of Koshi OEDA is being promoted with a separate line for their receipt and processing, either by aerobic treatment (composting) or by anaerobic treatment.
In the Limassol district, the upgrading of an existing anaerobic treatment infrastructure and the addition of a separate line for the reception of separately collected organic waste is being studied.
For the Famagusta district, the creation of an Organic Waste Treatment Plant of Paralimni – Ayia Napa by the Famagusta EDA is proceeding.
In the district of Pafos, the creation of a management unit with aerobic treatment (composting) and anaerobic treatment at a later stage is proceeding at an early stage.
Reuse and recycling
Concrete actions are foreseen to achieve the targets for the reuse and recycling of municipal waste. For reuse, the creation of two reuse and repair centres and a network of reuse shops in the network of green points is envisaged. The installation of the reuse stores promotes the synergy of the projects, while at the same time exploiting the operation of the existing network of 23 green points and proposing its expansion with an additional 14 green points.
A significant percentage of the recycling targets is expected through the creation of 50 green recycling kiosks in mountainous and remote areas for the collection of recyclable materials (paper/paper packaging, plastic, metal, textiles, and other special waste).
Processing of recyclable materials
The processing of separately collected recyclable materials is mainly carried out by the private sector in cooperation with local authorities, collective schemes (e.g. Green Dot) and private collectors. For those recyclable materials that do not receive separate collection and remain in mixed waste, an upgrade of the mechanical sorting of the Koshi OEDA Unit for the treatment of all mixed waste and the recovery of recyclable materials included in mixed waste is foreseen. In the districts of Limassol and Pafos, it is planned to upgrade the mechanical sorting of the Pentakomo OEDA Unit for the treatment and recovery of recyclable materials included in mixed waste. The upgrade of the two Units will also include the management of separately collected organic waste, while it is planned to supplement the network with new facilities for their management.
The ultimate goal is to reduce landfilling. In order to reduce waste ending up in landfills to 10%, the need for the production and disposal of secondary fuel or alternatively the creation of a Thermal Treatment Unit in which residues from the treatment of mixed waste and separately collected municipal waste will end up both by the two OEDAs and by other management units separately collected municipal waste is being studied. For the treatment of residual waste resulting from the treatment of mixed waste in the OEDAs, the Feasibility Study will assess the need for the construction of a thermal treatment plant for residual waste resulting from the treatment of mixed waste and the need for production and disposal of secondary fuel. The above actions, if implemented, ensure that all part of municipal waste will be treated without the need to dispose of it in landfills.
Despite the fact that the transition to the circular economy and ensuring the rational management of municipal waste are significant challenges, the actions and projects implemented will bring about significant changes and will contribute substantially to the achievement of Cyprus' European goals.
