Solution for the old Keratea landfill

The local HADA (Area of Uncontrolled Disposal of Waste), which is about 6km from the city, same distance as Omvriokastro that is the spot chosen in the regional planning, was operational until recently, when ESKDNA refused to receive the city’s waste from the landfill of Fili.

After pressure on Environment minister Tina Birbili from representatives of the Lavreotiki municipality, the government is determined to stand by its plan for the sanitary landfill but appears open to a change of location and the size of the area.

The minister said that the government is willing to change the location as long as there is a clear stance and a timetable, and on condition that it will accept all the waste from eastern Attica, from Spata to Sounio.

As it is known, Keratea insists that her infrastructure can only serve the municipalities of Lavreotiki and Saronida. However, information indicates that prior to the meeting next Wednesday, minister Birbili seeks to set up the interministerial for waste in order to receive updated information and a central political course on the issue, as already objections and nagging have been expressed by ministers concerning the government’s change of attitude.

Besides, it is clear that plan B, which is espoused by the organizations of the city, raises many questions about the attitude of local authorities, who fought for four months not to have the landfill in their region and now appear willing to move it elsewhere.

At the same meeting, the Coordinating Committee of Keratea will have to present its written proposals for the waste treatment plant, the technology that will be used and also the volume of the waste that will end up in the unit. Information indicates that the plasma gasification technology, which the local agents are thinking of proposing, is not tested internationally and those who know talk about a single pilot operation at a plant in Canada.

The government is required to handle the matter very carefully, since despite the type of technology that will be used, which the ministry has left the local community to decide upon, waste management in Attica brings up a lot of issues. The Marathon mayor has already sent a letter to the PM, asking him not to burden the new sanitary landfill in Grammatiko with the waste of Attica, while fierce opposition has been expressed by the Fili municipality, which has sent a message that its dump will shut down in 2,5 years and the municipality will not be able to accept the siting of any other establishment.