My one and only

[snowdrop]

Pet hate whenever we visit TRNC is the recycling or rather lack of. We are so used to separating all our rubbish in the UK I find it difficult not to separate our rubbish when we are out there. The Belydisi in Catalkoy have provided a lovely big wheelie bin for our small community but its awful lumping all the rubbish together and seeing a lot of the ravines just tipped full of rubbish. Surely the TRNC have a handle on this by now and should be well into recycling. If we are ever lucky enough to reside in the TRNC we would like to see these problems solved.

[Soner]

There seems to be a niche in the market - theres money in rubbish and recycling....big money. Anyone interested on taking on the TRNC?

[Marions]

it is a question of economics, that's the trouble. Children are being taught at school. They even learnto put it in separate bins and then along comes the rubbish lorry and puts all the stuff in together. But recycling costs money, and it just isn't viable at the moemnt, unless some whizz kid can think of a way of making it so.

[Soner]

The Local Borough Councils seem to be making money out of it in the UK.

[Marions]

I think the south do O.K, but one of the problems here is where to dispose of it, cos we don't really exist and shipping charges are more from here than from the south. could be a bit of a deterrent. For a while some folk were collecting cans and joining in with the south and getting money for charity. But that became problematic. I would personally support it hook, line and sinker, but at the moment it does not seem ot be a priority. shame.

[PoshinDevon]

Have to agree that one of the very minor irritations when coming over to the TRNC is the rubbish that seems to creep into everywhere. It is a problem both in the TRNC and the ROC.

It would be great to see some form of action to clean things up and encourage the disposal of rubbish correctly. However part of the problem is I believe cultural - having lived in the ROC for many years and visited many eastern med countries the rubbish problem is not confined to Cyprus - people just seem to dump it wherever they want. For the TRNC I have to agree that there is a gap in the market to set up and run a recycling company/project. However; the isolation of the TRNC, the difficulty in setting up a business and costs involved along with the culture of just leaving rubbish anywhere probably means that it is a non starter. There is no drive for change from either the people or government. You can set up recycling bins but unless people are educated into taking rubbish to the bin, separating the rubbish and taking a little more pride in the country, it will be a long haul.

Whenever we speak to friends about holidays in the TRNC, we always mention that they have to look beyond the odd pile of rubbish, half built houses etc and they will soon discover why we love the place.

Not sure we will see things change very quickly. But it does not put us off!!

[andrew4232]

years ago there was recycling you would get the man with a donkey and trailer going through it taking what ever they were collecting ie tin cans plastic bottles etc, but now its beneath everyone to do such lowly things they all want to drive about in a posh car phone in one hand and makeup brush in the other totally unaware of other traffic

[Marions]

Posh in devon is absolutely correct in all that is said. I know, cos I have seen attempts which have failed, BUT THE GOOD NEWS is that children are being taught recycling in school. Ozbay the head of karsiyaka Junior school is very envvironmentally minded, and so it the head of Catalkoy, so that means tomorrow's world could well be different.

as to the rag and bone man Cyprus style, there is a Turk in my village who will take any metal stuff that is 'dead' (fridges, microwaves etc, etc) cos he gets money for it. and there is a man in Alsancak who is creating a rubbish heap in a grass area cos he is doing the same, but instead of taking it direct to the purchaser, it is spoiling the look of the village. so, he doesn't care about the environment, ony money. What we need is a generation who care about the environment. But it will come, I am sure.

[snowdrop]

Marion that is good to hear about the children being taught and being made away of the importance of their environment as by the time they are grown up the problem will be horrendous if it is not tackled by then so it can only be a good thing if they start by teaching the very young how to get rid of their pop bottles, crisp packets, sweet wrappers etc, so slowly but surely everyone will eventually get the message.