Serious problems in the operation of a landfill in the occupied areas have been acknowledged by the so-called Environmental Protection Department following a major fire that broke out on the morning of 6 September.
According to an announcement by the service, the fire affected an area of approximately 20,000 to 25,000 square metres, while firefighting efforts were continuing.
A technical team led by the department’s so-called director, Yilmaz Altunderim, carried out an on-site inspection to assess the environmental impact and the condition of the facilities.
The fire was also visible from the government-controlled areas, with thick smoke covering the wider area between occupied Koutsoventis and Kythrea.
Waste was not being covered with soil
The so-called Environmental Protection Department said it had been carrying out regular inspections at the site and sending relevant reports to the competent authorities in the occupied areas.
Previous inspections had identified serious shortcomings in waste management and compliance with the applicable regulations.
“During the inspections carried out to date, it was found that the waste transported to the site was not covered with the required layer of soil after disposal and that the prescribed rules and operating standards of the integrated facility were not being adequately implemented,” the announcement said.
Warning over uncontrolled dumping
The service also acknowledged that the facility had largely lost the characteristics of an organised landfill.
It said that, due to the existing operating conditions, the landfill in occupied Koutsoventis had significantly lost its organised character and faced the risk of becoming an uncontrolled waste disposal site.
The relevant warnings had reportedly been communicated through official letters to the competent services, highlighting that the situation was unsustainable and posed serious risks to the environment, public health and safety.
The authorities had also called for restoration work at the facility to begin immediately.
Facility received EU funding
The landfill began operating in 2012 following approximately €3.5 million in European Union funding.
The original design envisaged the first phase of the facility meeting the needs of the Turkish Cypriot community for around 10 years.
The facility reportedly operated according to the prescribed standards during its first years, but repeated problems involving poor management and uncontrolled waste disposal were subsequently recorded.
A fire also broke out at the same site in April 2025, prompting warnings at the time over air pollution and risks to nearby communities.
New model with Turkish support
The environmental service in the occupied areas said technical consultations with Turkey’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change on the reorganisation of the facility were at a final stage.
The plans include restoring the site, changing its operating model, upgrading environmental standards and creating a modern waste management system.
The service said its main approach was to ensure that the problems facing Koutsoventis for years were not addressed through temporary measures but through a permanent and sustainable model.
Following the completion of talks with Turkey, the so-called authorities said specific steps were expected to be taken to redesign the facility according to modern environmental standards.
“The latest fire demonstrated once again that the permanent transformation of the Koutsoventis site is now a necessity that cannot be postponed,” the announcement concluded.
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