-
.
- Ελληνικά
It is with great pleasure that I am here with you today, once again, to support and spread the word about the biggest clean-up campaign Let's do It Cyprus. At the same time, I would like to express my thanks to the Together Cyprus Environmental and Voluntary Network that has undertaken this initiative since 2012, in order to raise awareness and active public participation on issues related to the protection of the environment and its sustainable management in Cyprus.
This effort is a happy event as it also highlights the importance of volunteerism and the development of social actions that focus on the protection of the environment in which we live and we all have a stake in. An important achievement in this direction are the Regulations adopted in July 2022, under which Local Authorities must, by the end of 2023, draw up a six-year local plan for the prevention of the generation and management of their municipal waste. Subsequently, by June 2024, they will have to implement source separation and separate collection schemes for municipal waste, including organic waste, as well as "pay-as-you-throw" schemes, as an incentive for citizens to reduce and properly sort their waste for reuse and recycling.
Projects are also being implemented under the "THALIA 2021-2027" Programme and the Recovery and Resilience Fund such as the creation of repair and reuse centres, the creation of green recycling kiosks, household composting, infrastructure for separate waste collection in fishing shelters, creation of a waste management coordinating body, actions to reduce food waste. Under the LIFE IP CY Zero Waste project, infrastructure for separate collection and recycling of waste in fishing shelters is being promoted. Regarding the legislative framework, Regulations are being promoted to extend the framework of extended producer responsibility for tobacco products, plastic fishing gear, textiles, pharmaceuticals, etc. The correct and effective implementation of these measures requires, above all, the equal participation of all stakeholders and all social groups.
At the same time, the problem of plastic pollution of the environment, with particular reference to the sea, is one of the biggest facing the planet today. 90% of the litter found in the seas and oceans is plastic which remains in the marine environment and from there enters the food chain through the consumption of fish.
The Department of Environment has transposed the European directive related to certain single-use plastics into national law as of April 2022 and is implementing a series of actions to reduce plastic waste.
In addition, the Environment Department is the coordinator in Cyprus for the European Week for Waste Prevention Week (EWWR).
The European Week for Waste Prevention is an initiative that aims to promote at European level the implementation of public awareness actions on sustainable resource use and waste management (reduction, reuse, recycling), as well as a clean up day (let's clean up Europe), culminating in the penultimate week of November.
So, we are here today to spread these messages and the Let's do it Cyprus clean up campaign which is part of the global Let's do it World campaign and is being held again this year in October to rid the world's natural areas of litter and to raise public awareness on issues related to the protection, conservation and sustainable management of the terrestrial and marine environment.
With aware citizens like you, with targeted actions and empathy, we can hope for a brighter future and a cleaner environment for us and our children.
In conclusion, I would like to thank and congratulate, once again, the Together Cyprus network and all those who support the action of Let's do it Cyprus, inviting all Local Authorities and our fellow citizens to take part in this action and develop their own initiatives for the preservation and protection of our environment.
We all have an obligation to protect it!
Thank you, good luck!
------------------
19/10/2023
EP/EXP
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
