The first ‘Green Kiosks in Cyprus were inaugurated on Friday, with Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou saying they will not only serve as waste collection points, but will also “raise public awareness” of recycling and best practices regarding waste management.
Speaking at the site of the first Green Kiosk, in the Nicosia district village of Agrokipia, she said the kiosk’s inauguration “lays the foundation for a new era in waste management and in the circular economy, confirming in practice that protecting the environment is a priority.”
She added that the initiative aims to offer everyone in Cyprus “the means to actively participate in sustainable development”.
There will eventually be a total of 50 kiosks installed in villages in various parts of the island for an initial 25-month period, with the aim of boosting recycling efforts. The project has cost €3.3 million, and all 50 kiosks are expected to be up and running by the end of next year.
A total of six kiosks have been installed thus far, with the five outside of Agrokipia being in Farmakas, Mammari, Ayios Trimithias, Palaichori Morphou and Kalopanayiotis.
The kiosks serve as compact recyclable material sorting centres, and are designed to accept various recyclable materials, including paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, and metal.
People can also deposit reusable items such as clothing, footwear, toys, CDs, and books.
On Friday, Panayiotou said Cyprus has “set ambitious goals for waste management”, which are aligned with the government’s national strategy on the matter and European Union legislation on the matter.
EU law stipulates that member states must recycle 55 per cent of municipal waste by next year, with that required proportion to rise to 60 per cent in 2030 and 65 per cent in 2035.
She pointed out that Cyprus’ rate of recycled municipal waste was just 16 per cent in 2022, and that for that reason, “it is clear that we must act faster and more decisively”.
“It is for this reason that we must refuse to cause unnecessary waste, we are reducing the amount of waste we produce, we are building our recycling efforts and utilising the waste we do produce with innovative practices like composting and energy recovery, and all of these things are the government’s priority,” she said.
Additionally, she said, the government is “working to inform people correctly and develop people’s environmental awareness”.
To this end, she said the Green Kiosks “fit exactly into this context”, describing them as “information and awareness centres where people have the opportunity to learn about best practices in waste management and help themselves to reduce their environmental footprint.”
“By launching the first Green Kiosk here today, we are taking an important step towards promoting the separate collection of recyclable municipal waste in areas which are not currently served by licenced collectors and haulers,” she said.
She added, “today more than ever, our individual and collective responsibility towards the environment is not optional, but a necessity.”
