Filenews 23 November 2025
Since 2003, Green Dot Cyprus has played a leading role in the history of recycling in our country. As the first collective packaging waste management system, it was launched to meet a legislative need and has evolved into one of the most important drivers of environmental change.
Today, Green Dot is not just an organization: It is a catalyst for a more sustainable and greener Cyprus.
Its establishment was not a simple business initiative, but the response of the Cypriot industry to a new legislative reality. The law gave "obligated producers" (businesses that place packaged products on the market) two options: either to set up individual systems for collecting their own packaging or to join a collective system that would manage all the packaging on the market. On the initiative of the CCCI, Cypriot businesses chose collective action, establishing Green Dot Cyprus as an effective, organized and financially viable solution.
From a legal obligation to an institution of environmental responsibility
The course of Green Dot Cyprus captures the evolution of an effort that transformed a legal obligation into a national institution of environmental responsibility. Starting in 2003, but a landmark year in 2006, when the organization received its first operating license. Since then, it has undertaken the titanic task of organizing and managing the collection of three main packaging waste streams: PMD (Plastic, Metal, Beverage Cartons), Paper/Cardboard and Glass.
Methodically and steadily, Green Dot has built a nationwide door-to-door collection network, which today serves about 90% of the population of Cyprus. With more than 1,700 members-businesses and through strategic partnerships with the Local Government, it managed to integrate recycling into the daily lives of citizens.
Looking to the future, the organization recently announced the construction of a state-of-the-art packaging waste sorting facility in Cherry, a strategic investment that will dramatically boost domestic processing capacity, reaching 36,000 tons per year. This move marks the transition to a new era, with a focus on the circular economy and self-sufficiency.
Green Dot's trajectory, however, is not measured only in tons. Its social footprint is equally important. Through targeted information campaigns, innovative educational programs and continuous presence in the public debate, it cultivates the environmental awareness necessary for mass participation. The ranking of Cyprus in the top 10 EU countries in packaging recycling is not accidental, but the culmination of this collective effort.
The Operating Model: A Collaborative Ecosystem
Green Dot Cyprus operates as a non-profit organization based on the principle of "Extended Producer Responsibility". Its model is mainly financed by the contributions (environmental fees) of its member companies. These resources are harnessed to cover the entire recycling chain:
Collection: Organization and financing of the collection of recyclable materials from every home and business.
Sorting: Transporting the materials to sorting centers, where they are separated by type (e.g., PET, aluminum, cardboard) to ensure their purity.
Utilization: Channeling the now clean materials to recycling industries where they are converted into raw materials for new products.
At the same time, the role of Green Dot is coordinating. It creates an ecosystem of collaboration between businesses, municipalities, communities, waste management companies, and citizens, ensuring the seamless and efficient operation of the system on a national scale.
Navigating a Challenging Landscape
Despite its established success, Green Dot faces significant and ongoing challenges that define its strategy.
High Operating Costs: The cost of collecting, transporting, and sorting waste far exceeds the commercial value of the recyclable materials sold. The financial viability of the system depends entirely on the contributions of the members and the strict management of resources.
Quality and Participation: Although awareness has increased, incorrect sorting (throwing the wrong materials into recycling bins) remains a serious problem. This leads to "contamination" of materials, increasing sorting costs and reducing the quality and value of the final product.
Infrastructure inadequacy: Cyprus needs more and more modern management units. Until the completion of the new plant in Cherry, the organization often exports large quantities of materials for processing, which increases costs and the environmental footprint.
European legislation: Pushing to meet the EU's strict recycling and circular economy targets requires continuous investment and change.
The phenomenon of "free riders": These are companies that, while obliged by law, do not participate in any waste management system. They place their products on the market without paying the environmental fee due to them, creating conditions of unfair competition and financially burdening the consistent companies that finance the national effort.
The Deposit Return System (DRS): The EU's recent decision to implement a Deposit Return System by 2029 for PET and aluminium packaging is the biggest challenge ahead. The DRS provides for the imposition of a deposit (e.g. 10-20 cents) that the consumer will pay when purchasing beverage products in plastic bottles and aluminium cans, which the consumer will get back by returning the empty packaging. Although this system aims to increase collection rates, it is expected to result in significant financial losses and affect the viability of Green Dot.
The vision for tomorrow: The three strategic pillars
Green Dot doesn't just focus on managing today's waste. Its vision for the future is based on three axes that aim to shape a sustainable Cyprus.
Recycling as a self-evident everyday life: The aim is to fully integrate proper recycling into everyday culture, so that it is a natural habit for every citizen, at home, at school and at work.
Investing in Circular Economy and Technology: By investing in innovative solutions, such as the new sorting plant, the organization aims to maximize the utilization of waste as secondary raw materials, reducing reliance on primary resources and protecting the environment.
Establishing a new environmental culture: The future depends on a change in mindset. Through education and information, Green Dot invests in creating a new generation of citizens with strong environmental awareness.
The roadmap for the future
Immediate priorities:
◗ Completion of the new unit in Tseri, which will dramatically increase the self-sufficiency and efficiency of Cyprus in the processing of recyclable materials.
◗ Intensification of awareness campaigns with a focus on schools, young people and proper sorting at the source.
◗ Deepening cooperation with the Local Government to optimize the collection network and address local peculiarities.
Long-Term Goals:
◗ Leading the transition of Cyprus to the circular economy.
◗ Contribute to the drastic reduction of the country's environmental footprint, with the aim of Cyprus being among the pioneers in Europe.
◗ Formation of a national culture of environmental responsibility, where recycling will be an act of contribution to a higher quality of life.
Green Dot Cyprus doesn't just manage the recycling present; plans the sustainable future of Cyprus.
For more information about Green Dot and its activities, visit greendot.com.cy website, as well as its YouTube, Instagram and Facebook channels.
