12 New Areas to Join Cyprus’ Pay As You Throw Program

The Pay As You Throw program, which requires residents to pay for specially approved garbage bags to have their waste collected, is set to expand to 12 more municipalities and rural communities in Cyprus next year.

Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou, speaking at the House of Representatives’ Environment Committee, emphasized that this program is a “European Union obligation” that “should have been implemented last summer.”

To date, only one municipality, Aradippou, has adopted the program. Following its planned expansion to 12 additional localities in 2025, it is expected that a total of 21 local authorities will implement the scheme by 2026.

This initiative is part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s immediate action plan, aimed at enhancing waste management, boosting recycling efforts, and reducing landfill waste.

The ministry has allocated €25 million for the program’s rollout, which will cover its deployment by local authorities through the end of 2026. The funds will be used for purchasing necessary equipment, conducting inspections, organizing local awareness campaigns, and supporting vulnerable groups.

Planned equipment includes specialized garbage trucks for transporting organic waste, secure locks for garbage bins, and vending machines for purchasing government-approved garbage bags.