From the street barriers in Keratea to the garbage plants

The implementation of regional planning, which besides the landfill provides for garbage plants, compost units, transfer stations and recycling, is promoted by the ministries of Infrastructure and Environment, breaking their silence a week after the intense incidents in Keratea.  

The ministries characterize the attitude of political parties and local authorities on the issue of Keratea, as hypocritical, stressing that the new landfill will be able to collect 120,000t of waste solely from the municipalities of eastern Attica. The government is thus attempting to counter the reaction of the locals, who fear that Keratea will become the new Fyli.

The ministerial intervention comes on the same day the workers shut down the landfill in Fyli and the transhipment station in Schisto, denouncing an organized plan between A.C.M.A.R. (ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES IN THE ATTICA REGION), Attica region authorities and the government to remove the responsibility of solid waste management from local authorities and assign it via rigged contests and procedures to private concerns for twenty five years.
 
In negotiations for the auctioning issues

«Those who incite unnecessary social reactions and try to support them aided by the lack of awareness of residents, are totally unjustified and solely responsible. It’s time to face up  to their responsibilities away from extreme actions and sterile debates», reads the joint statement from the two ministries, adding that waste management not only does not degrade the region, but also upgrades it in relation to the third-world image of the dumps.

The announcement comes ten days after the acute confrontation between civilians and police, which a few days ago prompted police union officials to ask Environment minister Ms Tina Birbili to take a stand.

The minister, along with Giannis Ragousis, once again brought up the forgotten garbage plants and the accompanying disposal works, for which there is a first-time disclosure that NSRF funding already exists.

It is also stressed that there will be no deliberation as to the auctioning issues, so that the appropriate technology will be chosen with the participation of the local community. It is noted that the issue of technology choices sparks acute conflicts of business interests and has been demonized by local bodies, resulting in a very negative climate even before the start of the implementation of the regional planning.

This time sees the approval of the environmental terms for the other processing units in Attica, reportedly the factory in Fyli and the expansion of the mechanical recycling plant (EMAK) in Liosia.

At the same time, it was announced that there has been a treatment of a program contract between the Attica Region and A.C.M.A.R. for the implementation of these projects, which throws the ball on Attica’s court.