The municipality of Larnaka is set to place in its coastal area 64 submersible bins, taking in this way one more step towards the reduction and recycling of waste, as the municipality is particularly conscious of environmental issues, Larnaka Mayor Andreas Vyras has told CNA.

Environmental issues are close to Larnaka municipality`s heart, which takes part in several recycling programmes and promotes actions which concern the reduction of waste, saving energy and the use of renewable energy sources, alternative ways of transport within the city are also promoted, Vyras told CNA in a brief interview.

“Larnaka municipality is particulary conscious of environmental matters and through its Environmental Management Department and its Group for the Promotion of Sustainable Mobility it promotes various programmes and activities which have to do with the environment, always having as a goal how to improve environmental conditions in our city which are directly linked with citizens health,” Vyras said.

Apart from existing programmes and actions, “within 2017 64 submersible bins will be placed in the coastal area (of the city), that is to say the areas of Mackenzie, Mitsopoulou and Finikoudes,” he added.

According to the mayor, right now Larnaka munipality takes part in recycling of packaging programmes (paper, PMD, glass) in cooperation with Green Dot Cyprus, batteries, in cooperation with AFIS, electric / electronic devices, in cooperation with Elecrocyclosis, clothes in cooperation with ANAKYKLOS, while it also has in place a collection of large objects programme (furniture, plastic objects, metal objects and others), as well as garden clippings at a temporary `Green Spot` which will be used for composting.

At the same time, Vyras said, the municipality “takes part in a reduction of municipal household waste and coastal hotel units and other relevant mass waste production facilities waste programme in cooperation with the state`s Environment Department.”

As far as saving energy and use of renewable energy sources is concerned, he noted that the municipality, takes part “in the European co-funded programme FIESTA, through which many benefits are offered to families with children”. The municipality also takes part in the Island and Mayors Pacts in the context of which the municipality`s sustainable energy action plan was drafted, the award eea ® which is implemented in cities in the Mediterranean (MEDeea ® ) which the municipality managed to secure in 2013 and others, he added.

Larnaka municipality also organises various other actions and activities which concertedly aim to promote a knowledge of the environment and through this to raise awareness about the need to protect it.

According to the Mayor “Larnaka takes part in other programmes such as an annual programme `Get to Know the Salt Lakes` which involves the participation of schools from all over Cyprus every year, the Blue Flag programme for our beaches in cooperation with CYMEPA – Friends of the Sea, cleaning up of beeches, parks and salt lakes projects with the participation of schools and civil society bodies, programmes to promote environmental education in cooperation with schools and other local bodies.”

“Organising environmental activities such as the World Wetlands Day, Earth Day, World Environment Day, European Week of Sustainable Energy, European Mobility Week and others, constitute an important part of this effort,” he pointed out.

The municipality, he said, “issues informative and instructive material about the environment such as “Environmental News” magazine, leaflets, stickers and posters for the salt lake, leaflets promoting recycling and others.”

According to Vyras, “the relevant Larnaka municipality department plans and constructs pavements and cycling paths thus promoting alternative ways of going into the city.”

It urges citizens to use buses for their transportation thus reducing the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere, he added.