Recycling of house waste could be made legal requirement

Recycling of household waste could become a legal requirement if a proposal before the House Environment Committee on Wednesday is given the go-ahead.

Committee chairman and president of the Greens Charalambos Theopemptou said that the legislation under discussion will bring major changes in the way household waste is managed.

Citizens would have the legal obligation to recycle and each house will be obliged to take out not only recyclable materials and paper waste after separating them, but they will also have to use a special bin for kitchen scraps, which will be used to create biogas.

Biogas can be used to generate electricity, he pointed out, adding that the material left behind can be dried, milled and sold to nurseries as plant soil.

In addition, Theopemptou said that the possibility of setting up small organic waste management plants in various areas should be considered to serve residents by producing electricity for their communities at extremely low cost, as well as compost.

“We have a tremendous opportunity to do advanced things and help people reduce their electricity costs and improve soil quality,” he said.