**Cyprus Waste System: A ‘Ticking Time Bomb’**
The waste treatment system in Cyprus has been described as a “ticking time bomb” by officials from the Environment Department during a parliamentary session on Thursday. This alarming characterization comes as the country grapples with an inadequate waste management infrastructure that struggles to cope with the increasing volume of waste.
The Pentakomo treatment plant, which has been in operation since 2017 and serves the Limassol district, is currently under the management of the government after a transition from a private contractor. Officials acknowledged that while improvements have been made, the overall situation remains “not optimal.”
In an effort to address these challenges, the government has entered into 180 contracts since December 2023 aimed at equipment maintenance, repairs, fire protection, and environmental compliance. A significant transitional contract, estimated at €62 million, is in the works for the Pentakomo facility. This contract will focus on managing biogas, repairing the mechanical sorting system, upgrading the biological leaching station, and installing a new system to treat biodegradable waste. These upgrades are intended to reduce odors, halt biological activity, and mitigate harmful environmental impacts prior to final disposal or recovery.
Despite these efforts, the waste management situation in other districts remains dire. Paphos continues to rely on a landfill for waste disposal, with no prior treatment of the waste. Meanwhile, the integrated waste treatment plant in Koshi, which has been operational for 16 years and serves the Nicosia, Larnaca, and Famagusta districts, faces its own set of challenges, primarily due to outdated equipment. A separate transitional contract worth an estimated €100 million is anticipated for repairs and partial upgrades at the Koshi facility, with a tender expected to be published in the first quarter of 2027.
Dinos Nicolaides, head of the Scientific and Technical Chamber (Etek), raised concerns in parliament regarding the accuracy of official waste statistics. He claimed that the actual percentage of waste being buried is around 90%, significantly higher than the 65% reported by officials. He highlighted the alarming situation in Paphos, where 100% of waste is buried, and similar high percentages in Larnaca and Limassol. Nicolaides described the numerous illegal waste dumps scattered across the island as an “ecological bomb waiting to go off,” urging immediate action to resolve the crisis.
Efi Xanthou, representing the Federation of Environmental Organisations, criticized the authorities for downplaying the severity of the situation. She reported that waste at the Pentakomo facility is currently “overflowing,” and trucks are being used to transport waste to landfills, indicating a failure in the waste management system. Xanthou emphasized that Cyprus is unprepared for the proposed ‘pay-as-you-throw’ scheme and is not on track to meet EU recycling targets.
Erikkos Elia, director of the Environment Department, reiterated the urgency of the situation, noting that Cyprus must reduce its landfill waste to less than 10% by 2035 to comply with EU directives. He also mentioned that the European Commission has referred Cyprus to the Court of Justice of the European Union for non-compliance with the Landfill Directive.
As Cyprus faces mounting pressure to improve its waste management practices, the situation at Pentakomo and other facilities underscores the need for urgent reforms and investment in sustainable waste treatment solutions. The ongoing challenges highlight the critical importance of addressing waste management not only for environmental reasons but also for public health and compliance with EU regulations.