Presidential Palace achieves 'zero waste' milestone

The Presidential Palace has become the first government building in Cyprus to receive the "Zero Waste to Landfill" certification, setting a strong environmental example for the nation.

At a press conference held Tuesday in the Presidential Palace orchard, First Lady Philippa Karsera-Christodoulides, Minister of Agriculture Dr. Maria Panayiotou, and Environment Commissioner Antonia Theodosiou highlighted the success of this joint initiative that began a year ago.

Minister Panayiotou emphasized the government's commitment to environmental preservation, stating, "Converting the Presidential Palace, where the President lives and works, into the first government building with zero waste in landfills, is a symbolic and practical demonstration of our priority to adopt sustainable habits for a better future." She announced that the next goal is to achieve "Zero Waste to Landfill" certification for other government buildings, starting with the Ministry of Agriculture.

First Lady Philippa Karsera-Christodoulides expressed pride in reaching this ambitious goal, noting, "We promised to turn the Presidential Palace into a zero-waste building, and today we have succeeded. We aim to be a model for transitioning to a circular economy and to inspire environmental awareness." She highlighted that waste was reduced by more than 90%, with full recycling efforts in place. "If we can do it, then everyone else can do it too," she concluded.

Environment Commissioner Antonia Theodosiou spoke about the broader environmental management goals, including upgrading the Presidential Palace garden to play a key role in environmental education through targeted actions.

This achievement marks a significant step towards a greener, more sustainable future for Cyprus, with the Presidential Palace leading by example.

[With information from CNA]