Waste Workshop Report Jointly organized by the European Environment Bureau (EEB) and its members: ELLINIKI ETAIRIA for the Environment & Cultural Heritage (ELET), MEDITERRANEAN SOS Network (MEDSOS), with the cooperation of the ECOLOGICAL RECYCLING SOCIETY (ECOREC) at ELLINIKI ETAIRIA Athens 3 & 4 November 2011 The seminar was organised with the financial support of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure & the Environment
Introduction Given the poor management of waste in Greece along with infringement issues the country has been facing the past few years, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) jointly organized with three Greek member NGOs: ELLINIKI ETAIRIA for the Environment & Cultural Heritage (ELET), MEDITERRANEAN SOS Network (MEDSOS) and the ECOLOGICAL RECYCLING SOCIETY (ECOREC) a workshop in order to determine some of the main issues and obstacles involved as well as to produce a methodology/action plan for the NGO community in order to start addressing these issues effectively. The workshop coordinator, Mr Stephane Arditi, aimed at involving all participants by directing an interactive discussion. 2
DAY 1 November 3 rd 2011 1. Introductions All participants were requested to introduce themselves informally and to provide the group with the information regarding their expectations of the workshop. 2. EEB & EU waste activities Presentation* by Mr Arditi (EEB Senior Policy Officer Products & Waste). Mr Arditi provided an overview on European Waste Policy, the Resource Efficiency Roadmap, links with product policy, Waste Management/Prevention Plans and information on the Zero Waste Europe campaign and website. 3. Presentation of Case studies* i) Low cost ZERO WASTE Municipality Mediterranean cooperation in the municipal waste management sector: the example of Zero Waste project. A project under the MED 2007 2013 programme, Objective 2.1: Protection and enhancement of natural resources and heritage (funded by European Regional Development Fund) Presentation by Sofia Skarveli (Advisor in EU Projects Municipality of ACHARNES). 3
The main aims of the Zero Waste project are: Developing, testing and disseminating integrated Zero waste management concepts in the participating regions, so as to minimize the municipal waste production, divert materials from landfilling and maximize resource recovery in a life cycle approach Creating a harmonized European zero waste methodology in the municipal sector Making a roadmap of the municipalities paving into the zero waste field Creating an interactive policy tool for goal oriented municipal waste management adaptable in the different EU regions for a long term sustainable development Sensitizing people and Local Authorities to recycle, re use and reduce waste Mediterranean cooperation and exchange of experience in the municipal waste management sector ii) ATHENS BIOWASTE project: Integrated management of bio waste in Greece The case study of Athens LIFE10 ENV/GR/605 Presentation by Athena Bourka (EPTA Environmental Consultants Engineers). The main targets of the ATHENS BIOWASTE project are: Establishment of a separate collection system for bio waste in the City of Athens and the Municipality of Kifissia (pilot area of 3000 inhabitants) Composting of the bio waste in the MBT facility of ESDKA Evaluating compost quality Development of a bio waste management software tool 4
4. The Greek situation with regard to waste management Presentation* by Ms Dalamanga (ECOREC Director). This included a thorough overview of the current situation of Waste Management (WM) in Greece as well as the presentation of a proposal compiled by four Greek NGOs on the improvement of WM in Greece in order to reach the EU targets. 5
5. First Workshop on Issues & Challenges for Greece The workshop session was coordinated by Mr Arditi, with 19 participants contributing issues that they have recognized as particularly crucial and problematic in Greece, based on their own experiences: i) Greece is not reaching the recycling targets on packaging waste. ii) Greece is not meeting the diversion from landfill objective s Clarification comment by A. Dalamanga: The fact that there are more landfills does not mean that there is more waste going to them, More waste is going to landfill than was illegally dumped. The diversion target is to reduce the % of biodegradable waste going to them from 1995 Since in that given year almost 100% of biodegradable waste went to landfill we cannot increase that target as it s based on that year. iii) Calls for tender only refer to waste disposal rather than integrated waste management following the waste hyerarchy iv) Lack of WM on islands in many cases lack of infrastructure and therefore waste needs to be sent to the mainland for treatment against the proximity principle, which in turn is there are obstacles to find transport for the waste. v) Illegal land filling takes place (There are 77 working landfills, over 150 300 illegal landfills!). vi) Lack of awareness raising of the public vii) Lack of trust of the public towards the local and national authorities is the packaging waste that is collected actually being recycled? viii) Lack of focus on the issue of prevention of waste ix) No space is allocated by the media for the issues of sustainable waste management. x) No financial incentives xi) Lack of transparency in regard to the budgets allocated for WM etc. xii) Lack of law enforcement and monitoring Inadequate data collection etc. 6
DAY 2 November 4 th, 2011 6. The European Environmental Bureau (EEB): Aims, structure, activities Work Programme 2012 Presentation* by Mrs Regina Schneider (EEB Head of Communications). 7. The European Environmental Bureau s (EEB) activities on environmental law & enforcement Presentation* by Mrs Regina Schneider. Mrs Schneider gave a thorough presentation on how the EEB supports its members during a complaint procedure to the European Commissions Directorates (it has issued the report EC COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE: EEB's SEVEN KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A CHANGE, 2002). The EEB also addresses requests to the Commission for access to documents, jointly with other NGOs submits strategic complaints and complaints to Ombudsman. The EEB also prepares letters, comments, assessments or position papers for the Commission regarding compliance promotion, governance and legal issues. Mr Stephane Arditi also joined the presentation to talk about the EEB s project on Waste Framework Directive (WFD) transposition and implementation and contribution to better enforcement. 7
8. Second Workshop on Identifying Orientations for Improvements These are the main proposals that the participants outlined regarding potential solutions to the two main issues problems noted during the first Workshop: A) Methods for decreasing land filling rates: i) Integrated waste management ii) Increase the rate of recycling and composting, promote sorting at source introduce a taxation policy iii) Increase the awareness of waste prevention iv) Implement public awareness to the general public v) Introduce pay as you throw scheme vi) Enforcement of existing law vii) Promotion of products with less packaging ecodesign, purchasing ethics viii) Increase composting through the creation of a market for compost promoting green gardens ix) Deposit refund, voucher scheme x) Increase recycling schemes in municipalities. B) Deployment Methods by NGOs on education & awareness raising for prevention: i) Circulation of information on Cost Saving via : Media, Social Networks, Leaflets, Door to Door ( train the trainers ) Collaboration with municipalities, Identification of audience (households, SMEs) ii) Promote campaigns for the increase of monitoring and enforcement Identification and promotion of municipalities with good reporting practices Mrs Dalamangas noted that up until recently there was no legal framework in order to allow the trade of reused products through social enterprises. As a result few second hand shops operated ; this has now changed. In view of the current financial situation in Greece it is 8
expected that the operation of such enterprises (second hand shops, repair shops etc) will increase. * All Presentations are available electronically and were handed out to the Participants (CDs). They will be soon available on the organizers websites: http://www.ellet.gr http://www.medsos.gr 9
Annex: List of Participants A/A NAME ORGANISATION E mail 1 Scarveli Sofia Municipality of Acharnes, Efxini Poli epolis@efxini.gr, sskarveli@acharnes.gr 2 Kuyia Paraskevi Maria Municipality of Acharnes b.kourgia@gmail.ocm 3 Anni Mitropoulou MEDSOS anni@medsos.gr 4 Grammatikogianni Vasiliki Athens Voice gramvas@yahoo.gr 5 Pavlakis Christoforos Europe And Me chrispavlakis8@hotmail.com 6 Aggelou Katerina k.aggelou@hotmail.com 7 Demoulis Victor dreammaker_cfu@hotmail.com 8 Nellas Hilias ELET nellaselias39@gmail.com 9 Frezouli Hermione MEDSOS politics@medsos.gr 10 Dalamangas Antigone ECOREC antigone@ecorec.gr 11 Maltezos Gregoris Enarmonion Oicological Workshop maltezos@gmail.com 12 Chrisogelos Nikos ECOREC nikoschry@gmail.com 13 Germanos Loucas Athens News Agency Macedonian Press Agency loukas@ana.gr 14 Koukiasas Lakis MEDSOS 15 Maltezou Vasia Enarmonion Oicological Workshop, Municpality of Athens valiosbio@gmail.com 16 Kirkitsos Philipos ECOREC phkirk@otenet.gr 17 Arditi Stephane EEB stephane.arditi@eeb.org 18 Schneider Regina EEB regina.schneider@eeb.org 19 Malizou Agelice ΕΕΒ waste@eeb.org 20 Arapis Gerassimos ELET mani@aua.gr 21 Mavrogiorgos Daphne ELET sfyp@ellinikietairia.gr 22 Karkalis Konstantinos Athens Agricultural University persseas@hotmail.com 23 Pavlidis Frances Athens Agricultural University f.pavlidis@gmail.com 24 Glinos Yiannis Mayor of Andros dimos@andros.gr 25 Bourka Athina EPTA abourka@epta.gr 26 Lazarou Bakali Anastasia ELET former Water Directorate Director, Ministry of Environment anbakali@yahoo.gr 27 Vladou Alexandra ELET avlandou@yahoo.gr 10