House extends deadline for ditching single-use plastics  

Parliament has passed amendments extending the ban on specific single-use plastics (SUPs) to September 30 this year, notwithstanding the EU directive should have been transposed into law by July 2021.

The new law, necessary to harmonise Cyprus with the EU directive on reducing the impact of plastic products on the environment passed with 30 votes in favour during the house plenum, while three Elam MPs voted against.

MPs also narrowly approved an amendment for a three-month extension from the initial extension on the implementation date of April 30 until September 30 to allow the sale of single-use plastics and exhaust the stocks, provided their order was placed before July 3, 2021, when all EU member states must have adopted the directive into law.

The amendment, proposed by Diko, passed with 17 votes in favour and 16 against.

This is an additional extension to a previous amendment to the bill by the environment committee which extended the availability of the stock of single-use plastic products to April 30, provided the order was placed on the market before July 3, 2021.

The delay was due to the fact the lengthy time it took the state legal services to vet the text, which resulted in the bill being submitted to parliament for discussion after the deadline passed last year.

The law passed provides, among other things, for a market ban on certain single-use plastic products, such as cutlery, straws and cotton buds, as well as products made of oxo-degradable plastic.

It also provides for an obligation to take measures to reduce the consumption of certain single-use plastic products for which there are no alternatives as well as the imposition of specific requirements in relation to these plastics, such as specific percentages of recycled content in them, as well as requirements in relation to their labelling and/or design.

There is also an obligation to participate in extended producer responsibility schemes in relation to these plastics and to take measures to inform and raise consumer awareness.

Cyprus had an obligation to transpose the EU directive into national legislation since July 2021, said Green Party leader Charalambos Theopemptou, noting that if any extension was given, the country would be in trouble with the European Union.

He added the government had assured, before the deadline, there would be no issue with importer’s stocks of the specific plastic products.

Saying the single-use plastic ban law will bring tremendous changes for people, the MP said this will introduce new products into the domestic market that can be an opportunity for innovative business actions.

The EU is tackling plastic litter because there are appalling amounts of plastic in nature, Theopemptou said, with the synthetic chemical substance attributing to 80 per cent of marine litter. Neighbouring countries are dumping plastic waste into the sea which ends up on local beaches through sea currents, he added.

Meanwhile, microplastics have been traced in human blood according to a recent study published in the journal Environmental International, which may lodge in organs.

The party leader proposed the government should look into all the plastics entering in the Cypriot market since many of them cannot be recycled.

In his statements, Akel MP Nikos Kettiros defended the house environment committee, saying it was not responsible for the delay, as the government only tabled the relevant bill on December 3, 2021.

Due to the delay, he said, some people had already placed orders and stocked up. He supported Diko’s amendment to give time for the units to sell their products and to take advantage of the tourist season.

Diko MP Chrysanthos Savides also said the delay was not the responsibility of the parliament. He explained the extension was provided taking into account the bad economic environment due to the pandemic.

In opposition, Disy MP Prodromos Alabritis referred to the importance of the bill which will help the country transition to a circular economy. He disagreed with the amendment saying there has been information for a year and there have already been delays while there are likely to be consequences, including hefty fines, if there are further ones.

For his part, Dipa MP Michalis Yiakoumis said the law was not only about our obligation to the EU but also about our moral obligation to protect our home planet and stated the party’s readiness to contribute and strengthen this effort.

Explaining why they voted against the “strict” directive, Elam MP Linos Papayiannis said the state does not have the appropriate services to implement the directive and has not provided for recycling in many areas.