The environment department is stepping up efforts to tackle the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste, describing the issue as one of its biggest environmental challenges, deputy director Elena Stylianopoulou said on Monday.

Speaking to CyBC radio, Stylianopoulou said an action plan to improve waste management is already being implemented, stressing that it is more than just a policy on paper.

“This is not an effort that has remained on paper. It has already begun, but it takes time to be implemented and to produce the results we want to see,” she said.

€1 million in emergency aid for the cleanup of illegal waste dumping sites was approved by the Council of Ministers on July 17, the third consecutive year in which such aid has been allocated. The funding is intended to help reduce fire risks and protect the environment and public health. 

Stylianopoulou said that the plan builds on lessons learned in recent years, recognising that construction waste management involves every stage of the chain, from property owners and contractors to waste management facilities.

She said the objective is not simply to target isolated cases of illegal dumping but to improve compliance across the entire sector.

At the same time, she stressed that not everyone involved in the industry is breaking the law, adding that the department’s aim is to gradually improve compliance through consistent enforcement and ongoing engagement.

Stylianopoulou highlighted the fire risk posed by illegal waste disposal sites, noting that several fires have been linked to such locations in recent years, making the issue even more pressing.

She said the department’s priority is to stop the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste, distinguishing the problem from illegal landfill sites, where a wider range of waste materials is typically found.

Inspections are primarily carried out by environment department inspectors, with particular emphasis placed on construction sites, which represent the starting point of the waste management chain.

In February, lawmakers doubled the maximum fines for illegal dumping to €40,000.

Additionally, a new GPS system to track owners of waste skips and discourage them from dumping debris into open spaces was delayed in April and is now scheduled to begin early next year.