The short
version of this update is that there is some good news and some less good news.
The good news is that there is real momentum building around recycling
especially in North and Central Corfu. At the time of writing there are 20
‘green spots’ where people can take their recycling and the number grows almost
daily. The less good news is that the fundamental problem, which is where can Corfu’s
general waste be disposed of, is no nearer a solution.
The political
situation is set to change dramatically, as it has finally been decided that
the election in May will be to elect 3 Mayors for South, Central and North
Corfu. This was strongly opposed by all the business bodies (eg the Chamber of
Commerce and the Hotel Association), but pushed through by Syriza—allegedly to
give them a chance to win at least one of the 3 seats. There seems to be no
clear plan as to how they would cooperate on an island-wide waste management
plan. The new Mayors will take office in September, which leaves an awkward
interim period over the next 6 months.
RECYCLING
Recycling
can help a lot. Recyclables can represent 30% of waste by weight, but up to 60%
of waste by volume. Sorting at source and separate collection via the green
spots will significantly reduce the pressure on the Municipality’s collection
and disposal efforts. Led by Babbis Voulgaris the hotels are being encouraged
to generate zero waste (recycling and composting everything), which again
reduces the pressure on the municipality. The green spots are currently all set
up and manned by unpaid volunteers. They have various challenges to deal with;-
- · Getting buy-in and wholehearted
cooperation from local businesses especially small hotels, coffee shops, mini
markets, wineries, supermarkets and tavernas. They are all heading in the
direction of awarding businesses a ‘gold star of approval’ to be prominently
displayed at the shop or taverna. I am proposing that we add our logo to these
stars of approval.
- · Collecting recyclables from villas
and especially tavernas when they are too busy to take it to green spots
themselves. We may well decide to help financially here by subsidising the cost
of a man with a van. Some green spots are hoping to persuade local businesses
to also contribute to cost of collection. Villa owners also need to
establish a system to get their recyclables to the green spots.
- · The collection of the recyclables
from the green spots for eventual transport off the island. In theory this
should be a profitable activity and there is a market for eg pressed plastic
bottles. There are various people currently involved in doing this. As per my
email in late January Spiros Nerantzis and Dimitris Kotsis are the two most
active at the moment but there are others setting up –notably Victor Dimoulis.
Spiros is very much a leader and is behind ‘All Together Corfu’, which is doing
lots of good things. He was going to run for Mayor and I assume he will run for
Mayor of Central Corfu. (There is also a group of green spots called ‘Lets do
this Corfu’ run by Ian smith and Lesley Cummings , who also do great things
such as organise beach clean-ups.) Lastly there are the Lavranos brothers who
operate both the public and a private recycling centre at Temploni, where
everything seems to end up, whether collected by them or on of the other
collectors. I know there is some scepticism whether there will be enough
capacity in these collection and disposal efforts come the summer, but I am
hopeful that there will be.
I have been in close touch with Ben Goldsmith and Jade
Brudenell of the Ionian Preservation Fund (to be launched shortly). They have
appointed Costas Kaloudis to be a full-time head of the project. He and I plan
to host a meeting of all the green spots, the collectors and other interested
parties in mid-April to discuss how we can help.
At the end of this note I will mention a few of the many ways
in which individual villa owners can help reduce general waste.
THE MUNICIPALITY
The overall situation is still a mess and not easy to
summarise. The Ionian Prefecture gave various permissions re using Lefkimi as a
temporary dumping ground for rubbish baled up at Temploni. There were immediate
protests and some violence and arson. Arrests were made and suspended sentences
handed out. It is not clear whether the Municipality will actually be able to
make use of the permissions they have received from the prefecture. There is
30,000 tons of rubbish sitting at Temploni that needs a permanent home.
Currently rubbish is being collected and taken to
Temploni. However, there is the usual problem for this time of year of masses
of builders’ waste and old mattresses littering the roadside, but it is much
much worse than usual. This is because the machine to deal with it at Temploni
is broken. We are assured that a solution is imminent.
There does seem to be a medium-term plan to enlarge the
Temploni site (by 4.7 strema and later by 50 strema) and to install there modern sorting and
compacting machinery. I am not clear that this has been approved and I think it
will have to wait for the new Mayors.
The idea of taking waste to the new site on the mainland at
Ioannina seems to have been killed, as has any hope of using waste to energy
(aka incineration).
The EU has expressed its disgust at the situation and there
may well be more fines imposed soon, but there seems to be no hope of any help
from the Greek National government –at least until after national elections
this Autumn.
I have set out below a report from Enimerosi on 29th
march. It is not totally clear, but may help you understand the situation.
From Enimerosi
Last night's meeting of
the Town Council was devoted almost exclusively to the issue of waste
management and Corfu Mayor Kostas Nikolouzos explained the road map that had
been announced on 13 March.
All interested parties
were present at the meeting: both Temploni Societies and Lefkimmi Cultural
Society as well as candidates in the upcoming local and regional elections.
After requesting that
the discussion be carried out in a peaceful and civilised manner, the Mayor
updated the Council and others present on the waste management plan and the
latest developments. He stressed that if everything goes according to plan we
will be able to manage the waste this summer without any problems. If there are
problems, there is no other management plan. The study for the construction of
a Waste Management Unit in Temploni is complete - it was submitted on 31
December 2018 and is awaiting final approval. Meanwhile the procedure for
commissioning a study for the residue landfill is in progress. Both of these
projects will be included in the ESPA (National Strategic Reference Framework)
programme with funding of approximately 50m Euros.
The implementation of
the four projects - sorting at source, biowaste and recycling and the setting
up of green spots - has also been speeded up. These are included in the ESPA
programme with a budget of 2.9m Euros.
As regards the waste
management transitional phase, the work has been contracted out and will be
operational again from 1 April reinforced by a double baling belt. This will be
followed by the repair and operation of the South Corfu residual landfill in
Lefkimmi.
Once the 5-stremma plot
of land owned by the Brotherhood charity has been granted permission in the
immediate future, the transportation of residue bales from Temploni will
commence.
Furthermore, once the
purchase of the adjacent 52 stremma plot of land in Temploni has been completed
and the necessary permission granted, the necessary construction work will
begin in April for the temporary storage of residue bales along with
restoration of the Temploni landfill - with a budget of 3.7m Euros.
Regarding Lefkimmi
residual landfill, the Mayor said, "The matter of the operation of
Lefkimmi residue landfill isn't my responsibility. I have made many efforts at
great personal cost. If the government is determined that Lefkimmi should
operate, let them find a way to do it."
In response to a
question from the 'Kerkyraion Dimos' councillor Nikos Hirdaris regarding the
letter from TUI, Kostas Nikolouzos said that he intends to give the same reply
that he gave to the Ministry of Tourism, "If all goes well, we won't have
a problem in the summer. If something doesn't go as planned, then I don't have
an answer."
In response to a
question from councillor Yiannis Kritikos regarding the financial correction of
4.7m Euros, Kostas Nikolouzos said that according to the latest update, if
Lefkimmi landfill wasn't operational on 1 March 2019 the EU would charge the
amount. The government informed the EU of the recent damage to the facility but
nothing has been heard back. Regarding the fine for Temploni landfill, Mr.
Nikolouzos said that another fine was expected - even bigger than that of 2012!
At the meeting time was
given for the representatives from Lefkimmi and Temploni to speak. For the
first time, Lefkimmi Secretary Yiannis Pandis offered an alternative proposal
for an incinerating system and said that they had made exploratory approaches
to foreign companies asking for offers
Temploni President
Magda Papanikolopoulou said there had been long-term mismanagement and opposed
the plan to bury thousands of tons of waste as part of the renovation and
integration of the cells. At the end she broke down saying, "We can't take
any more rubbish in Temploni" and was unable to control her tears.
The only response she
got from the Mayor was that everything would be done according to the
amendments to the environmental regulations, adding that we needed to look at
the reality - waste management needs land and space.
END OF ARTICLE
VILLA OWNERS
There is a lot villa owners can do and/or ask their guests to
do.
- ·
Install
a water purifier so you never need to buy bottled water again,
- ·
Use
and reuse glass bottles to take water to the beach
- ·
If
you don’t get a purifier install a water dispenser that works off reusable 5-10
litre bottles. You can get them delivered and they will take away the empties.
- ·
Install
a soda-stream or similar to make fizzy water
- ·
Install
a composting box in your garden
- ·
Ensure
all your recyclables are taken regularly to a green spot
- ·
Volunteer
to help out at a green spot
- ·
Persuade/encourage
your favourite tavernas to support recycling
I attach below an email from Maxine, who organises the Sinies
green spot, which gives you a very good idea of what she has achieved and what
she hopes to achieve this summer. We should all support her and all the other
green spots with all our might.
From Maxine
Dear All,
I very much hope this email finds you well and
looking forward to the new season in Corfu!
During the past autumn and winter in Sinies we have
been working hard to establish the recycling of used materials as a way of life
amongst permanent residents, as well as considering how we can roll it out more
widely to visitors and seasonal businesses in the summer months.
Many of you will already be aware that we operate a
Recycling Centre, which is situated north of the Elaiourgia/Sinies crossroads,
about 200m after “Stou Billy” cafe and the wood shop, on the right hand side as
you go towards Kassiopi. The Centre was opened last summer, at the start of
July – the second of its kind to open in Corfu (there are now 16 up and
running). This was an initiative of the Sinies Cultural Association together
with the Local Council and is manned by a team of volunteers. The key aim is to
reduce the quantity of material being sent to landfill in Corfu, thus
minimising the likelihood – and extent – of another waste crisis this year.
Not only is recycling the solution to Corfu’s waste
issue, it also makes environmental sense and is a requirement by Greek and EU
law. To this end, the Cultural Association has devised a proposal to support
recycling for the 2019 season and has been presenting the idea to all areas of
local industry: first to local tavernas and bars, then to all supermarkets,
shops and offices and, in a third meeting to take place tomorrow, to tour
operators, cleaning companies and villa owners.
Tomorrow’s meeting (Saturday 16th March
2019) will take place at 5:00 pm in
Elaiourgia-Sinies, in the Cultural Association’s hall. Everyone is
welcome to attend; however, since many home owners are not on the island at
present, your thoughts, comments and responses are welcomed by email.
The Association invites you to plan how materials
generated at your property will be recycled this season. The
following options are available:
1. Recyclables
are sorted at source into the relevant categories (the four main streams are
metal, paper, plastic and glass) and owners deliver them to the Sinies
Recycling Centre (SRC).
2. Delivery
of sorted materials to the SRC is carried out by villa staff, as instructed by
the owner.
3. Delivery
of sorted materials to the SRC is carried out by a cleaning company, as
instructed by the owner and/or tour operator (where a home is rented out for
all or part of the season).
4. Owners
pay a monthly fee to the Sinies Cultural Association for weekly collection of
recyclables and delivery to the SRC.
In the latter case, the Association needs to first
determine how many villas and businesses would like to participate in the
Programme, before it can calculate a cost for this service. The more
individuals and businesses that take part, the lower the cost will be. Our
aim is to employ a driver with a truck whose salary will be paid with the
contributions made by participating bodies. Involvement in the Programme is not
compulsory; everyone can make their own plans as to how recyclables from their
homes will be brought to the Sinies Recycling Centre. What we would like as far
as possible, however, is for everyone to declare to the
Association how they plan to manage their recyclables.
Regretfully, we envisage that there will be the capacity to service only
businesses and villas in the Sinies Community – although this
may change as we roll out the plan over the next few weeks.
Key tour operators active in the Sinies area have
pledged their support to the recycling movement and – if you have a contract
with one of them – we encourage you to open a dialogue with them as to how you
plan to provide for and manage the recyclable materials generated throughout
the summer at your property.
The attached document illustrates how it is
envisaged the Recycling Programme will operate. Your questions and suggestions
are warmly encouraged and will all be considered by the Association’s Recycling
Committee. Please forward this email to anyone you know who owns property in
the Sinies Community but who may not be in direct communication with the
Cultural Association.
We look forward to hearing from you soon and thank
you for all your support.
Best wishes,
Maxine
Maxine Katsaros (on behalf of Sinies
Cultural Association)
Agios Stefanos (North East), Sinies
(nr. Kassiopi), Corfu 49081
T: +30 2663 081964
M: +30 694 9342915
