Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus will reduce its landfill tax from €35 to €10 per tonne, with increases of €5 annually starting in 2028, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said on Wednesday. The annual increases are set to continue until 2039 and will depend on implementation of the Pay as You Throw scheme.
Tax adjustment and conditions
Panayiotou said the €5 annual increase will run until 2039 but will depend on the rollout of Pay as You Throw. She said the increase would not necessarily raise the overall burden because waste volumes are expected to fall and separate collection will be applied.
Consultations and municipal waste plan
The decision followed consultations with the European Commission and is intended to provide additional time for the government and local authorities to expand waste management measures and facilities under the municipal waste management plan 2022 to 2028. Measures include further implementation of Pay as You Throw schemes, which are already in place in some parts of the island.
Household fee estimates
Panayiotou said the estimated burden on the annual garbage fee per household without the scheme would reach €10.60 by 2027. With the scheme, she said, the burden could be reduced by up to €6.76.
Funding for local authorities
Panayiotou said the government did not want to pass the fees on to residents and announced that local authorities would receive a total of €48 million to implement the schemes. She said the funds would be distributed in stages starting this year and would be tied to the progress of implementation by local authorities.
Implementation and outstanding issues
Panayiotou said the schemes would be implemented based on decisions by municipalities. She said pending issues include submission of action plans and completion of infrastructure upgrades for Oeda green points, adding that a study would be conducted to ensure upgrades are done correctly and to avoid past mistakes, including those at the waste management plant in Pentakomo.
How do you expect the Pay as You Throw scheme to affect waste collection in your municipality?