The procedures by the Municipalities of the Limassol district for the implementation of the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) system with a prepaid bag that will be implemented on July 1, 2024 are at an advanced stage, but this is not the case with most of the clusters of communities in the district, which are not progressing satisfactorily.
Speaking to "Entrepreneurial Limassol", Senior Environmental Officer, in the homonymous Government Department, Ioanna Constantinidou, said the Local Authorities, as they have been formed on the basis of the reform of local government, are announcing Mini Tenders for the preparation of a Feasibility Documentation Study for the pricing of mixed waste bags and fixed assets, as well as an indication of the required equipment for the operation of the PAYT system.
She noted that, for the district of Limassol, signatures have been signed for the preparation of the Studies by all Municipalities, namely East Limassol on 19/9/2023, Polemidia on 28/9/2023, West Limassol on 22/12/2023 and Limassol on 26/1/2024. However, the Mini Tenders from the Community Clusters are pending.
According to Ms. Constantinidou, the Municipalities of East Limassol, Polemidia and West Limassol are at an advanced stage and it is expected that in February or March 2024, the Feasibility Studies of the PAYT system will be completed and put to consultation. The Limassol Municipality is at the initial stage and the contractor is expected to submit this Design within June 2024.
Regarding the announcements of the Mini Tenders by the Communities of the Limassol District, the Senior Officer of the Department of Environment told us that meetings were held with them and consultation is ongoing with the Communities, the Union of Cyprus Communities and the Limassol Development Agency (ANELEM) in order to proceed. So far, only three of the eight clusters in the Limassol District have been announced. In particular, the "H" complex (Agios Theodoros, Agios Ioannis Pitsilia, Agridia, Agros, Amiantos, Dymes, Kato Mylos, Kyperounda, Pelendri, Potamitissa, Chandria) is expected to sign the contract. The "E" complex (Agios Thomas, Alektora, Anogyra, Avdimou, Paramali, Pissouri, Plataniskia, Prastio Avdimou) announced the Mini Tender and the bids are under evaluation. The "F" complex ( Agios Amvrosios, Agios Therapon, Arsos, Vasa Koilaniou, Vouni, Gerovasa/Trozena, Dora, Kissousa, Pano Kyvides, Lofou, Malia, Omodos, Pachna, Potamiou, Souni Zanakia) has also announced a tender.
As Ms Constantinidou told us, communities do not have the necessary human resources to call for tenders but they do have support on that from the Limassol Development Agency. She pointed out that there is regular (written and oral) communication between the Department and the Local Authorities as well as meetings to explain the system and assist in the procedures. Furthermore, the Department of Environment participates in the Steering Committees for the evaluation of the deliverables prepared by the Consultant Designers on behalf of the Local Authorities, based on the circulars issued for the guidance of local authorities and consultant designers. She pointed out that the National Technical University of Athens is the technical advisor of the Department of Environment, through the LIFE IP CYzero WASTE Project.
The Department of Environment estimates that country-wide the process of announcing the Mini Tenders is on track, since by January 2024 out of the 42 Local Authorities (14 Municipalities and 28 Community Complexes) resulting from the Reform, 30 (13 Municipalities and 17 Community Complexes) announced the Mini Tender corresponding to 92.24% of the total population and nine proceeded with signatures (Latsia, Larnaka, Athienou, Aradippou, East Limassol, Polemidia, West Limassol, Nicosia, Limassol), corresponding to 54,48% of the total population.
Municipal waste streams related to mixed waste (non-recyclable), packaging waste for recycling (paper, PMD, glass) and organic waste (food, pruning) are now the obligation of every resident to separate them at home into different bins and transport them to the street for the Local Authority to collect them, to be transported to licensed units for treatment.
