Fire outbreak at the Koutsoventi landfill in the north of Cyprus

A fire broke out on Wednesday at the 900,000 square meter landfill in the Koutsoventi area, which serves eight municipalities. While local authorities claim the fire is under control, smoke persists due to ongoing flare-ups from organic waste gases. The head of the environmental protection department, Yilmaz Altunterim, acknowledged that the facility operates under primitive conditions. Previous attempts to modernize the site through tenders have failed, prompting negotiations with Turkey for technical assistance. The proposed plan includes the installation of a 15 MW solar farm and biogas power units to ensure financial viability. Disagreements over costs have currently stalled the project, with Minister Fikri Ataoglu conducting new talks. Meanwhile, local residents have expressed significant frustration, with community leader Durmus Asantir criticizing the government for failing to provide promised aerial firefighting support.