The Parliamentary Committee on the Environment examined measures to align with the European Union act concerning waste from electrical and electronic equipment on Wednesday.
Following the meeting, DISY MP Michalis Kounounis stressed the need to increase the recycling rate for electrical and electronic appliances. He said the rate currently stands at 22%, while the target is to exceed 45%.
At the same time, the Committee examined complaints from citizens about green points that do not accept household appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators and beds, for various reasons.
“We must provide solutions so that citizens are not driven to dump waste on vacant plots, even inside forests. The goal is to increase the recycling rate and create a simple, organised and accessible process so that every citizen knows where and how they can deliver an old appliance for recycling,” Mr Kounounis said.
He added that the circular economy must operate not only in legislation but also in practice, noting that this could begin only by developing an environmental culture among citizens.
ALMA MP Litsa Drousiotou said, for her part, that the alignment should already have been completed by October 2025.
“The discussion made it clear that the Department of the Environment is facing a serious understaffing issue, and this is something that cannot fail to concern us when it is called upon to manage such important obligations,” she said.
Ms Drousiotou also said that green points do not accept electrical appliances with compressors, forcing citizens to bury them or dispose of them illegally.
“This creates a huge problem for municipalities and the environment. We need a system that works in practice, with adequate staffing, proper oversight and clear procedures, so that recycling is genuinely accessible to everyone and waste ends up where it should,” she concluded.
Source: CNA
