The Cyprus Parliament approved the 2025 Waste (Amendment) Law, increasing fines for violations of waste management regulations to tackle illegal dumps and protect public safety and the environment.
Fines double under new legislation
The law passed with 29 votes in favour and 4 against. Under the amendment, inspectors can now impose fines up to €8,000, while chief inspectors can levy penalties up to €40,000, depending on the severity of the offence.
Lawmakers highlight criminal networks and threats
AKEL MP Nikos Kettiros warned that Cyprus hosts around 800 illegal dumps and argued that fines alone will not work without strict enforcement. He said demolition waste management has fallen into the hands of organised crime, with inspectors facing threats.
Ecologist MP Charalambos Theopemptou called illegal waste a major national problem and criticised ineffective policies, noting that small dumps persist even within urban areas.
MP Alexandrra Attalidou highlighted that organised crime controls waste collection, raising fire risks. She criticised the responsible minister for providing vague responses and urged the government to clear illegal sites and tackle criminal networks by summer.
ELAM MP Linos Papagiannis argued that increasing fines alone has historically failed in Cyprus, predicting the new law will remain unenforced.
AKEL MPs Aristos Damianou and Christos Christofides stressed that illegal dumps cause fires and that the state must address enforcement deficits. They warned that criminal networks gain influence, complicating solutions.
Concerns about effectiveness
Ecologist leader Stavros Papadouris criticised the law as largely symbolic if enforcement remains weak. DISY MP Prodromos Alambritis highlighted the need for public education alongside penalties.
EDEK MP Marinos Sizopoulos said prevention should precede enforcement, noting that Cyprus traditionally reverses this order.
DISY MP Savvia Orfanidou acknowledged the fine increase but stressed prevention and funding for community clean-ups. DIKO MP Pavlos Mylonas questioned the change in citizen behaviour that allows illegal dumping to persist.
Emphasis on education and culture
House Speaker Annita Demetriou underscored the need to cultivate environmental awareness and combine stricter penalties with educational initiatives for meaningful impact.
Source: CNA
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