Lefkimmi residue landfill has two and a half years life left. Are the riot police going to stay that long as well?
waste management
24 Jul 2018
/ 08:33
CORFU. The waste management plan for Corfu step-by-step. The puzzles and pitfalls that need to be faced over the next three years.
The Mayor has personally taken over the responsibility for the Municipal Cleansing Services. The position of President of the Solid Waste Management Association (SYDISA) remains open, following the resignation of Spyros Aspiotis, until a replacement is found. Alhough, the way things are developing it's not so much a question of who can do it as who wants to do it. According to information, Mr. Korakianitis is reluctant to take over, and until yesterday afternoon the Municipality seemed to believe that Mr. Aspiotis may not resign from SYDISA after all!
Spyros Aspiotis
In his written resignation the former Deputy Mayor didn't refer to the reasons for his decision. He merely said that it wasn't for personal reasons and that, "Solutions were proposed but weren't supported. Planning was undone by negligent decision-making and the Municipality's bureaucracy." These remarks are directed at the Mayor, whom Aspiotis obviously holds responsible for the negligence and for supporting the bureaucratic stumbling blocks. There is no doubt, however, that it is over and done with and Aspiotis won't be returning to the municipality or to SYDISA. This would have gone without saying if the Municipality had issued a statement regarding his resignation and his replacement as Deputy Mayor and President of SYDISA.
Meanwhile, the main issue remains the management of the facility in Lefkimmi. There is tremendous anger in the area - demonstrated by the weekend skirmishes in Mesorahia, which have now become a regular occurence - complying with the journalistic stereotypes of stone-throwing and limited use of chemicals. Yet noone can predict for sure when the riot police will leave the area. Everyone is wondering how and, mainly, when this will come to an end and noone can provide an answer.
The plan for Lefkimmi
The Lefkimmi facility doesn't only have problems created by the repeated arson attacks. There are deficiencies in its construction as regards the impermeability of the membrane and the substrata, which has led to the collection of rainwater. This validates one of the Lefkimmi residents' arguments.
The local authorities believe that the full renovation of the facility by the contractor will have been completed by September allowing the possibility of a new licence being granted then for a residue landfill. Residents have appealed against the temporary use of the facility, but given that the case is due to come to court in December, the new licence will invalidate the charges they have brought.
According to SYDISA's plan, if the facility can once again fulfil the specifications required for a residue landfill before October then the construction costs will be avoided - approximately 5 million Euros. The bales that have been collected will be broken open and the contents spread in the landfill and then covered with earth. The private company that will manage the operation, as well as being responsible for the transportation of bales from Temploni, will also be responsible for the biogas and the treatment of the residue.
All of this can continue for two and a half years at the most, in other words until the end of 2020. It is estimated that this is how much life the landfill has. What needs to be seen is whether the riot police will be present for the whole period!
What will happen with the new residue landfill
All the above is a description of the interim period, as the long-term goal continues to be the construction of an Integrated Waste Management Unit within Temploni landfill whilst the interim management is transferred to a neighbouring area of land for which negotiations with the owner are at present going on.
As regards the new residue landfill - where the residue from the Integrated Management Unit will be taken - a land-use planning study needs to be prepared. Noone has as yet been appointed to do this, but it is hoped that the new location will not once again provoke the usual kind of reactions.
Spyros Aspiotis
In his written resignation the former Deputy Mayor didn't refer to the reasons for his decision. He merely said that it wasn't for personal reasons and that, "Solutions were proposed but weren't supported. Planning was undone by negligent decision-making and the Municipality's bureaucracy." These remarks are directed at the Mayor, whom Aspiotis obviously holds responsible for the negligence and for supporting the bureaucratic stumbling blocks. There is no doubt, however, that it is over and done with and Aspiotis won't be returning to the municipality or to SYDISA. This would have gone without saying if the Municipality had issued a statement regarding his resignation and his replacement as Deputy Mayor and President of SYDISA.
Meanwhile, the main issue remains the management of the facility in Lefkimmi. There is tremendous anger in the area - demonstrated by the weekend skirmishes in Mesorahia, which have now become a regular occurence - complying with the journalistic stereotypes of stone-throwing and limited use of chemicals. Yet noone can predict for sure when the riot police will leave the area. Everyone is wondering how and, mainly, when this will come to an end and noone can provide an answer.
The plan for Lefkimmi
The Lefkimmi facility doesn't only have problems created by the repeated arson attacks. There are deficiencies in its construction as regards the impermeability of the membrane and the substrata, which has led to the collection of rainwater. This validates one of the Lefkimmi residents' arguments.
The local authorities believe that the full renovation of the facility by the contractor will have been completed by September allowing the possibility of a new licence being granted then for a residue landfill. Residents have appealed against the temporary use of the facility, but given that the case is due to come to court in December, the new licence will invalidate the charges they have brought.
According to SYDISA's plan, if the facility can once again fulfil the specifications required for a residue landfill before October then the construction costs will be avoided - approximately 5 million Euros. The bales that have been collected will be broken open and the contents spread in the landfill and then covered with earth. The private company that will manage the operation, as well as being responsible for the transportation of bales from Temploni, will also be responsible for the biogas and the treatment of the residue.
All of this can continue for two and a half years at the most, in other words until the end of 2020. It is estimated that this is how much life the landfill has. What needs to be seen is whether the riot police will be present for the whole period!
What will happen with the new residue landfill
All the above is a description of the interim period, as the long-term goal continues to be the construction of an Integrated Waste Management Unit within Temploni landfill whilst the interim management is transferred to a neighbouring area of land for which negotiations with the owner are at present going on.
As regards the new residue landfill - where the residue from the Integrated Management Unit will be taken - a land-use planning study needs to be prepared. Noone has as yet been appointed to do this, but it is hoped that the new location will not once again provoke the usual kind of reactions.
