Cyprus accelerates the elimination of illegal landfills to avoid EU sanctions

Cyprus is taking decisive steps to finally resolve the problem of illegal waste dumps (ΧΑΔΑ), aiming to end a long-standing breach of EU environmental legislation. Following the successful rehabilitation of 52 such sites in Paphos, Larnaca and Famagusta, the main focus now shifts to Nicosia and Limassol — regions where the situation remains most challenging.

In total, 123 illegal dumps have been identified across the island. To date, all have been closed except for the two largest — Kotsiatis (Nicosia) and Vati (Limassol), which stopped accepting waste in 2019 but have not yet been fully restored. The European Commission has already referred Cyprus to the Court of Justice of the EU for failure to comply with the 2013 ruling, warning of possible financial penalties.

According to the plan of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, a further 71 sites are to be rehabilitated:

• 24 — in Nicosia (completion deadline — spring 2026)

• 47 — in Limassol (part of the works — by 2027, Vati — by 2028–2029)

The total budget of the programme amounts to €70.8 million, funded under the EU “THALEIA” programme. The authorities stress that meeting the deadlines is critically important for Cyprus to stop being listed among the EU’s laggards in waste management and to avoid new fines.