The extra expenditure for the refuse situation will come to half a million Euros
waste management
09 Jun 2018
/ 07:46
CORFU. Along with the elation that has come from the collection of refuse there is also concern for the immediate future – when the time comes for the waste bales to be transferred to Lefkimmi.
The necessary repair of the three former units at Temploni landfill could prove to be ‘revenge’ for the years of stinginess, mismanagement of the facility and the taunts of the residents. According to sources close to the local authority, the Cleansing Service has already received the report for the work that needs to be done. The goal is the long-term extraction of biogases, collection of all the residue and its biological treatment and burial. Approximately 5m Euros has been earmarked for the work so that it can be carried out smoothly.
The rate at which refuse collection is being carried out
However, on a practical level and in the eyes of the public, everything depends on how the operation of transferring the waste bales from Temploni goes. The recent court verdict prohibiting the use of the former units at Temploni means that refuse must go to the baling facility, which, of course, has to work to set specifications for sorting and baling. This leads to a temporary problem of oversaturation, manifesting in the delay in collecting refuse which has gathered in huge piles during the crisis.
It would be a temporary problem which could be overcome were it not for the next stage - the transportation to Lefkimmi - given the residents’ complete opposition to the operation of the facility at Mesorahia. The mixed waste can be kept for a while in the refuse trucks, lorries and containers but the waste that has been baled has to be moved sooner or later. And that is when the next crisis will break out – the ‘mother of all crises’ which has been dragging on for at least ten years now! When it will break out awaits to be seen.
The bottom line
Meanwhile, the emergency cost of collecting the piled-up refuse has come to 170,000 Euros – coming out of Municipality funds. On Friday the cost for the Mayor’s decision to contract out the work in all the island districts was announced. The following funds have been committed – 68,200 Euros for emergency collection of piled-up refuse in Palaiokastritsa, Phaeaces and Corfu Town; 55,800 Euros for Melitaion, Achilleio and Parelion; 47,740 Euros for Lefkimmi and Korission. All of these decisions cite “non-operation of the landfill” as the justification – which is obviously also the reason the refuse piled up in the first place.
In addition to this, the sum of approximately 248,000 Euros needs to be added – the amount that was recently approved for the transportation of the waste bales to the Southern landfill/residue landfill!
Rumours
There has been no confirmation of the rumours that there has been an organized negative reaction from travel agencies due to the waste crisis in Corfu. On the contrary, all the indications are that bookings for Corfu and the other Ionian Islands are continuing their upward trend.
The rate at which refuse collection is being carried out
However, on a practical level and in the eyes of the public, everything depends on how the operation of transferring the waste bales from Temploni goes. The recent court verdict prohibiting the use of the former units at Temploni means that refuse must go to the baling facility, which, of course, has to work to set specifications for sorting and baling. This leads to a temporary problem of oversaturation, manifesting in the delay in collecting refuse which has gathered in huge piles during the crisis.
It would be a temporary problem which could be overcome were it not for the next stage - the transportation to Lefkimmi - given the residents’ complete opposition to the operation of the facility at Mesorahia. The mixed waste can be kept for a while in the refuse trucks, lorries and containers but the waste that has been baled has to be moved sooner or later. And that is when the next crisis will break out – the ‘mother of all crises’ which has been dragging on for at least ten years now! When it will break out awaits to be seen.
The bottom line
Meanwhile, the emergency cost of collecting the piled-up refuse has come to 170,000 Euros – coming out of Municipality funds. On Friday the cost for the Mayor’s decision to contract out the work in all the island districts was announced. The following funds have been committed – 68,200 Euros for emergency collection of piled-up refuse in Palaiokastritsa, Phaeaces and Corfu Town; 55,800 Euros for Melitaion, Achilleio and Parelion; 47,740 Euros for Lefkimmi and Korission. All of these decisions cite “non-operation of the landfill” as the justification – which is obviously also the reason the refuse piled up in the first place.
In addition to this, the sum of approximately 248,000 Euros needs to be added – the amount that was recently approved for the transportation of the waste bales to the Southern landfill/residue landfill!
Rumours
There has been no confirmation of the rumours that there has been an organized negative reaction from travel agencies due to the waste crisis in Corfu. On the contrary, all the indications are that bookings for Corfu and the other Ionian Islands are continuing their upward trend.
