Two new recycling and composting programmes in Limassol

Limassol Municipality is going ahead with the implementation of two new recycling and composting programmes aiming to properly manage waste by reducing, reusing and recycling it.

Addressing a press conference, Limassol Mayor Nicos Nicolaides presented the specifics of the two programmes. Environment Commissioner Ioanna Panayiotou who attended the press conference welcomed the efforts to more effectively manage waste.

Proper waste management in a four-member family would result in a reduction of the volume of rubbish to slightly less than a large rubbish bag per week, Panayiout pointed out.

At the same time, the need to be in line with Cyprus’ European obligations which provide that until 2030 70% of each country’s waste should be recycled, compared to 45% today and for a reduction of food waste by 50% was highlighted.

According to the data presented, an average Limassolian produces 600 kg of rubbish per year and recycles just 60 kg, which is about 10%. It should be noted that a landfill operating in the village of Vati was shut down in 2018 after an eight-year delay and an integrated waste management unit started operating in the village of Pentakomo.

Four Green Points which receive large waste objects operate in Limassol in the areas of Kolossi, Parekklisia, Fasoulla and Avdimou, while more Green Points are in the pipeline.

Properly managing waste through reduction, reuse and recycling, by collecting waste from the source, separately collecting various types of waste such as plastic, metal, paper, glass, organic waste and by composting that, constitutes a strategic goal for Limassol Municipality its mayor said.

The first of the two programmes, is a pilot programme and seeks to boost recycling by giving incentives. The programme is implemented in the framework of a European project “Enhancing citizen participation in recycling processes through the implementation of incentive schemes,” of the Interreg – BalkanMed 2014-2020 programme.

Nicolaides pointed out that the project’s goal is to deal with the low recycling percentages in Limassol and to encourage citizens, businesses and other bodies to actively participate in collecting waste at the source through incentive schemes.

In particular, the Limassol municipality has selected 215 households in Ekali region which will take part in the pilot programme and which will be given free bins of mixed waste (240 litres), composting bins (220 litres) and recycling bags.

Once the mixed waste bins are collected, they will be weighed and sent to the municipality to be processed.

The incentives include a reduction of the annual cleaning tax, free entrance in municipal parking spaces and the city’s zoo for a set period of time, the creation or upgrade of a park in the area if the goals set are reached and free entrance in municipal events. The three households to use the bins more effectively will be awarded an honourary “Green house, Green citizen” plaque. Participating families will be given free recycling bags.

On the basis of the data collected by the pilot programme, the municipality will go ahead to gradually implement it in the entire city of Limassol through schemes which will subsidise the purchase of mixed and composting bins.

The second programme has to do with installing autonomous mechanical composters in three points in Limassol by the sea close to the municipal garden.

The area where they will be installed was selected because the compost produced will be given out and the many people pass by and will be able to be informed about the process.

Composting machines will be placed on a concrete floor and will be fenced. A special access system will be in place which will be accessible by everyone, including people with mobility problems.

The municipality of Limassol has signed a contract for the design and implementation of the system of the automatic mechanic composters of a value of €164,500.

The contract is co-funded by the EU, by Greece and Cyprus national funds and it is part of the ACUA INTERREG V-A Greece – Cyprus 2014 – 2020 programme, in which the municipality participates as a partner.