Will the €480 million funding call untie the Gordian knot of the Corfu waste-processing plant?
The Temploni site has been cleared of accumulated waste and can now accommodate the plant. Photo: Enimerosi
ATHENS. The funding call explicitly foresees the financing of phased waste-treatment (MEA) and sanitary landfill projects from the previous programming period, which may provide a solution for a project that, despite having an appointed contractor, remains on hold due to a funding gap that emerged during the transition to the new ESPA framework.
The new €480 million funding call issued by the Ministries of National Economy and Environment, under the ESPA programme “Environment and Climate Change 2021–2027,” is addressed to the country’s Solid Waste Management Authorities (FODSA) and opens the way for funding major projects in recycling, waste treatment, and separate collection of waste.
For the Ionian Islands, the potential beneficiary is the Ionian Islands FODSA, which in recent years has taken on the planning and implementation of the region’s core waste management infrastructure. The call funds new Recovery and Recycling Units, the upgrading or conversion of existing Waste Treatment Facilities, landfill projects, Transfer Stations, as well as equipment for separate collection of bio-waste, recyclables, green waste, and bulky waste.
In the case of Corfu, the timing is considered particularly significant, as the construction of the Waste Treatment Plant in Temploni is currently underway, while separate collection networks and related infrastructure linked to the transition to a new waste management model are also being developed. The call provides the opportunity to finance complementary projects that could strengthen the system’s operation, increase recycling rates, and further reduce landfill disposal.
The key question now is which of the Ionian Islands FODSA projects are sufficiently mature to be submitted immediately for funding, and what level of resources the region will seek from the total €480 million package. The call remains open until April 30, 2027, and its utilisation is expected to serve as a key indicator of the progress of the regional waste management plan in the years ahead.
GIORGOS KATSAITIS
