Pavlos Neophytou
The Environment Department has announced the launch of a nationwide campaign to address illegal waste dumping sites, emphasizing the need for municipal and community cooperation. The initiative, which runs until December, aims to tackle persistent issues that have recently led to fires.
The campaign is in response to problematic waste sites, with the Environment Department relying on municipalities to nominate personnel who will be authorized by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, Maria.
Starting today and continuing into tomorrow, nationwide meetings will be held between the Department and communities that have submitted and received approval for cleanup requests. The meetings will focus on explaining garbage removal procedures and establishing a mechanism to ensure cleanliness at the illegal dumpsites. Municipalities are required to provide written notifications detailing their actions against illegal dumping as a condition for receiving departmental sponsorship. The first phase of the campaign has allocated €702,780 to 12 municipalities and 92 communities for cleaning 156 sites.
Local authority inspectors, newly authorized to enforce waste legislation, will receive training from the Environment Department. These inspectors will be empowered to issue fines on-site, reducing reliance on the Environment Department’s limited number of officials. This measure, which does not require legislative changes, has received positive feedback from both municipal associations and the Ministry of Interior.
The initial phase will prioritize areas at high risk of fire, including NATURA 2000 network areas, forested regions, state, and Turkish Cypriot lands. Private plots within or adjacent to these sensitive areas will also be addressed.
The Department has prepared a priority list of cleanup sites by province, with €702,780 allocated to 12 municipalities and 92 communities for the first phase. A total of 27 points in Paphos, 59 in Larnaca, 22 in Famagusta, 44 in Nicosia, and 10 in Limassol will be cleaned. The Department plans to re-evaluate and submit new sponsorship proposals based on ongoing and new requests.
In September, a cooperative memorandum with the Police Chief, Stelios Papatheodorou, will enhance security for Department inspectors, addressing past safety concerns. A new plan will be implemented to target illegal dumping activities, even during times when inspectors are not present. Additionally, the Department intends to expand the network of green points across the island to combat illegal dumping more effectively.
[This article was translated from its Greek original]
