Cyprus beaches turning green - 1st July 2022

Visitors to Cyprus beaches are taking part in a project to reduce plastic, in an effort to prevent waste.

A major travel company, TUI, began the scheme at two of the country's busy tourist beaches. Scheme leader Veronika Blach fully understands the size of the issue.

Veronika Blach: "It's important that we all work together, especially the tourism sector. There's so much to be done. Think of all the businesses, the bars, restaurants, hotels, and how much plastic is consumed there. There's so many reductions but there's still so much plastic, so we can do so much more together."

The project has involved working with seaside hotel, cafe and restaurant businesses. Everyone's learnt from the opportunity, explains Chris Karas, a restaurant owner.

Chris Karas: "At the beginning, it was difficult to think that we would not have single-use plastics such as water bottles, etc. But, slowly slowly, with the help of the initiative, and with the will of our staff and us as managers, I think we quickly realised that it isn't actually that hard. But we're only at the beginning of the goal we're trying to achieve - to save the environment."

Globally, less than 10 percent of 460 million tonnes of plastic was recycled in 2019.

In Cyprus, to limit plastic water bottle use, there are water stations everywhere. At these stations, tourists refill their bottles free of charge.

For the scheme's manager, Panagiota Koutsofta, the results are so positive, they've given her hope. So far, the successful reduction in plastic use matches the weight of 23 Boeing 737 planes.

Panagiota Koutsofta: "We have succeeded since the beginning of the project to reduce the use of single-use plastics - adding up to the weight of 23 aircrafts Boeing 737. Therefore, our goal is to reduce the use of more plastics - why not maybe adding up to the equivalent weight of thousands of aircrafts, why not!"

Visitors are encouraged to keep the shore clean by picking up plastic pieces and used cigarettes from the sand. Details about the rubbish, from a 100m2 area, are forwarded to the European Environment Agency. The information's used to create laws to protect the environment.