EU sends reasoned opinion to Cyprus over waste treatment
Source: Cyprus Mail
The European Commission on Monday announced it had sent a reasoned opinion to Cyprus for failing to apply directives over landfills and waste treatment.
In December 2021 the commission sent a letter of formal notice to Cyprus over concerns for three landfills.
It said Cyprus had failed to ensure that “waste is subject to an adequate treatment before being landfilled and for failing to establish an integrated and adequate network of waste management installations, considering the best available techniques.”
“Member states must recover and dispose of waste in a manner that does not endanger human health and the environment, prohibiting the abandonment, dumping or uncontrolled disposal of waste,” the commission said.
After Cyprus responded and based on available data, the commission concluded that all landfills remain non-compliant.
The capacity of installations for waste treatment before landfilling is insufficient for treating mixed municipal waste, it said.
The reasoned opinion concerns the Landfill Directive, which sets standards for landfills to prevent adverse effects on human health, water, soil and air. The Waste Framework Directive obliges member states to take measures to ensure that only waste that has been subject to treatment is landfilled.
A reasoned opinion for the same issue was sent to Greece for 87 landfills. Both countries now have two months to respond and take the necessary measures. Otherwise the Commission may refer the case to the EU Court of Justice.
The original article: belongs to Cyprus Mail .
