Newsroom
Trash heaps in a forest near Kalo Chorio’s Agia Paraskevi chapel and picnic site are sparking anger, with locals warning that Cyprus is sleepwalking into another environmental disaster.
A photo posted in the “Lovers of Cyprus” Facebook group shows an abandoned property turned into a dumping ground, where everything from construction debris to household waste has been recklessly thrown.
Illegal dumps like this are not rare; hundreds scar the countryside. Experts say they poison the land and, when left in dry forest areas, become fuel for catastrophic fires. The warnings are not abstract: just last month, on July 23, Limassol was devastated by a deadly blaze that still haunts the region.
Yet, the problem persists. Many dumpers simply want to dodge fees at licensed disposal sites, fees already factored into construction or renovation costs. Instead of paying up, they cut corners and dump illegally, leaving forests to pay the price.
Authorities have promised action for years, but enforcement remains toothless. Offenders are almost never caught unless someone speaks up. Meanwhile, piles of waste continue to grow in the shadows, each one a potential matchstick waiting for the wind.
