The start of the campaign for zero waste to landfills is marked by the initiative to turn the Presidential Palace into a zero waste to landfills building. This is a joint effort of the First Lady Filippas Karsera Christodoulides and the Commissioner for the Environment, Mrs. Maria Panayiotou, with particular symbolism but also with substantial importance, as in addition to raising public awareness, this initiative turns the Presidential Palace into a positive model for the transition to a circular economy, in a context that goes beyond environmental management.
The transformation of the Presidential building into a Zero Waste to Landfill building means that all waste streams (prunings, waste from construction work, light bulbs, ink, wood, pipes, cables, electrical/electronic appliances, etc.etc.) will be rationally managed with 100% verification that they ended up in landfills but were reused or recycled in licensed facilities. To achieve Zero Waste to Landfill verification, waste must be recycled or reused in excess of 95%. In addition to the Presidential Palace building, it also includes the Park of the same name covering an area of about 15 hectares surrounding it, and actions have already been taken to enhance the biodiversity of the area.
Some of these actions include the renaming of the orchard as the "Pollinator Garden" and the enrichment of the orchard with bee plants to support both the bee population and other insects that perform a pollinator role, such as butterflies, beetles and others. Artificial nests were also placed for human birds, bats and for small birds such as the chaffinch or pebble bee. The installation of devices ensured that water needs were met, particularly for the summer months, and existing dry stone walls were maintained and new ones created for the purpose of supporting herpetofauna (lizards and snakes).
In the coming months, there will be additional enrichment of the Bishop's Garden with fruit trees such as mesquite, pomegranate, golden apple, mulberry, fig and vine trees to provide food for various species of birds and mammals, such as the fruit bat - the well-known nightjar, hedgehogs, fascids, sparrows, and others.
The effort is being assisted by all those working at the Presidential Palace, following training. Two composters, provided by the Municipality of Strovolos, have been installed in the premises of the Presidential Palace, where the organic waste will be placed. The use of plastic bottles has been definitively terminated and to meet the needs of those working at the Presidential Palace, Cyta (the first organisation in Cyprus with zero waste to landfill verification) provided reusable water bottles. Apart from the above, a procedure is being promoted to supply the Presidential Palace with additional water coolers with filters and UV lamp to cover all the needs of the employees, as well as the installation of recycling bins in the areas inside and outside the offices of the Presidential Palace. At the same time, a communal "environmental corner" with all recycling bins is being created. The first quantitative results will be announced in twelve months.
The campaign bears the slogan "Zero, Major"
The campaign carries the slogan "Zero, Major", which emphasizes that zero waste in landfills is important for the environment. The campaign was announced by the First Lady at a presentation at the Presidential Palace on April 24, indicating that the zero waste philosophy is now becoming a necessity. "The beginning can be made very easily from the place where the whole family spends time every day, from our home, but also from our workplace. We start from the premises of the Presidential Palace, which should be the mirror and the good image of modern Cypriot culture in all its manifestations. And the acquisition, through our way of life, of environmental consciousness is undoubtedly a sign of culture", she pointed out.
Environment Commissioner Maria Panayiotou, during the presentation at the Presidential Palace on 24 April, said, among other things, that through this initiative the Presidential Palace contributes to the conservation of resources and the reduction of its carbon footprint and at the same time is a practical example of the upgrading and protection of the environment in our country. "Moreover, the recent Earth Day, on the occasion of which today's initiative is announced, is a reminder that we all have a responsibility to protect our planet and its resources for future generations. It is worth noting that since 2017, the Presidential Palace has developed and implemented an Environmental Management System, based on the guidelines of the European Regulation - EMAS. The Environmental Management System is inspected and certified on an annual basis by the Cyprus Certification Company.
PM/AF/SX
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
Source[/P]
