Cyprus’s referral to the Court of Justice of the European Union for inadequate waste treatment concerns compliance issues identified in previous years, for which remedial and compliance actions are already underway,and compliance, according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Environment.
It explains that the referral concerns the failure to subject waste to appropriate treatment prior to its sanitary disposal, primarily in connection with the management of municipal waste in the Paphos district, as well as, more generally, the failure to establish a comprehensive and adequate network of waste management facilities in Cyprus.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The Ministry notes that the challenges in waste management are real and that a systematic effort is being made to address them through a specific plan, which includes both immediate interventions and the implementation of long-term planning for the transition to a modern and sustainable waste management system.
According to the Ministry, the immediate plan concerns necessary measures for the operation and upgrading of the Pentakomo and Kosia Waste Management Facilities, and the primary objective is that the relevant infrastructure to be created in the near future as a transitional solution, to be utilized to the greatest extent possible in the future waste management system, so that the investments have long-term value.
With regard to the Paphos district, the Ministry states that the immediate goal is to develop infrastructure that will help reduce the amount of waste sent for disposal as mixed municipal waste, by diverting both recyclable materials and organic waste.
“The solutions being promoted are comprehensive and multifaceted and apply to all of Cyprus, including remote communities. The success of these actions, however, depends on the cooperation of all stakeholders,” the statement emphasizes.
It is also noted that emphasis is placed on expanding the separate collection of specific waste streams, on making optimal use of available infrastructure, and on promoting practices that directly contribute to increasing recycling and reducing landfill disposal.
“The transition to a modern and sustainable waste management system is a shared national goal and a shared responsibility for all of us,” the announcement notes.
“It comes as no surprise,” says the NEA in Nicosia
The European Commission’s referral of Cyprus to the Court of Justice of the EU over waste management comes as no surprise but is the result of delays and misguided decisions, despite the 2021 warning letter and the 2024 reasoned opinion, the NEA of Nicosia states in a press release.
It notes that “even with the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agencies, the state’s planning remains inadequate” and that “the citizen, who has already borne the cost, is not to blame for this failure. Since 2012, the entry fee for the OEDAs has increased from €7 to €40 per metric ton, without the goals for which the surcharge was requested—such as ‘Pay-As-You-Fly’—being achieved.”
The Nicosia EOA raises questions such as: on what basis will citizens accept new charges when previous ones have failed to produce results, who guarantees that the infrastructure to be transferred to the EOA will be technically and financially viable, and when will the pending infrastructure projects and the framework for the reuse of materials— which fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Environment?
He states that “he is ready to assume his share of responsibility, but requires comprehensive planning, operational infrastructure, and meaningful participation in decision-making.”
“The state must demonstrate its ability to implement measures with measurable results before imposing any new costs on citizens,” the statement concludes.
Source: CNA
