Refuse bins to be removed from historic centre
Corfu Town
20 Apr 2022
/ 10:24
CORFU. Municipal Finance Committee decision. The opposition voted against the contract terms. Business owners agree. Town residents agree - but with conditions.
The overground refuse bins in the historic centre - sources of infection and giving Corfu Town, which is a UNESCO Heritage Site, a bad name - are to be removed. Central Corfu Municipal Finance Committee decided on their removal, and to replace the collection of refuse from catering establishments with a 'door-door' system.
Contract amendment
The finance committee decided, with a majority vote, to amend the contract with ENACT and add a further €265k for the provision of a door-to-door collection from approximately 100 businesses at specific times. The aim is to stop the piling up of large amounts of rubbish along the pavements and creating eyesores and a vile stench around Corfu's landmark sites, especially when there is a large number of visitors.
Approximately 20 overground refuse bins will be removed from the historic centre and the contractor will collect mixed waste from catering establishments, which will have them ready in well-closed binbags or individual bins. The collection service will be provided by three small refuse vehicles ("little rockets").
From 15 May
Deputy Mayor for Cleaning Services Yiannis Seremetis told Enimerosi that at the moment approval is being awaited from the Decentralised Administration and, if all goes as expected, the new system will be implemented from 15 May and the refuse bins will be removed from Pentofanaro, Capodistriou, Kofinetta, the Palace and the Scout Hall.
"Meanwhile, we will speak with the business owners' associations and update all businesses in writing," he said. "We will also have municipal vehicles to cover instances where someone hasn't put out the rubbish in time. We don't want to have the image of the historic centre being spoiled by the refuse bins. We are arranging for a small refuse truck to be used in Campiello and we are expecting four of these vehicles, which we will be leasing."
Opposition says no
Tsipouli and Triantafilidou from the party led by Trepeklis voted against the proposal. They said that the Municipality should have included these amendments right from the beginning as they could have attracted more interested contractors - "In the proposal they should have presented clearly and comprehensively the reasons for the contract amendment. The Cleaning Service talks vaguely about visual pollution due to the overground refuse bins in the historic centre and the stench from the piles of rubbish, without a properly prepared study and plan for something that is going to cost Corfu citizens €265k!"
Business owners say yes
Business owners view the measure positively. "This is not the image we want to present to visitors to the island," Catering Union President Sakis Kostas and board member Vassilis Vassilakis told Enimerosi. "We haven't been updated by the Municipality, but it is definitely a step in the right direction. It would be good if it could happen in other places as well, like San Rocco, for example, which presents such an awful image at the entrance to the old town."
Campiello residents agree - with conditions
"We made this proposal to the Municipality a year ago," the president of the Association of Old Town Residents Nikos Olympios told Enimerosi. "We asked for the refuse bins outside businesses to be removed completely as they are a disgrace when they are full and overflowing. There need to be provisions for the residents, however. Underground refuse bins (e.g. at the Palace and Pentofanaro) should be used only by residents and not to be filled by businesses. This is why we also proposed that security cameras also be set up."
"It is the responsibility of the Municipality to find a solution for those being served by the bins outside the Capodistrias Mansion," he added. "If the Cleaning Service starts using the "little rockets" in Campiello and collaborates with the residents, then we are in agreement. Campiello must be provided for."
Contract amendment
The finance committee decided, with a majority vote, to amend the contract with ENACT and add a further €265k for the provision of a door-to-door collection from approximately 100 businesses at specific times. The aim is to stop the piling up of large amounts of rubbish along the pavements and creating eyesores and a vile stench around Corfu's landmark sites, especially when there is a large number of visitors.
Approximately 20 overground refuse bins will be removed from the historic centre and the contractor will collect mixed waste from catering establishments, which will have them ready in well-closed binbags or individual bins. The collection service will be provided by three small refuse vehicles ("little rockets").
From 15 May
Deputy Mayor for Cleaning Services Yiannis Seremetis told Enimerosi that at the moment approval is being awaited from the Decentralised Administration and, if all goes as expected, the new system will be implemented from 15 May and the refuse bins will be removed from Pentofanaro, Capodistriou, Kofinetta, the Palace and the Scout Hall.
"Meanwhile, we will speak with the business owners' associations and update all businesses in writing," he said. "We will also have municipal vehicles to cover instances where someone hasn't put out the rubbish in time. We don't want to have the image of the historic centre being spoiled by the refuse bins. We are arranging for a small refuse truck to be used in Campiello and we are expecting four of these vehicles, which we will be leasing."
Opposition says no
Tsipouli and Triantafilidou from the party led by Trepeklis voted against the proposal. They said that the Municipality should have included these amendments right from the beginning as they could have attracted more interested contractors - "In the proposal they should have presented clearly and comprehensively the reasons for the contract amendment. The Cleaning Service talks vaguely about visual pollution due to the overground refuse bins in the historic centre and the stench from the piles of rubbish, without a properly prepared study and plan for something that is going to cost Corfu citizens €265k!"
Business owners say yes
Business owners view the measure positively. "This is not the image we want to present to visitors to the island," Catering Union President Sakis Kostas and board member Vassilis Vassilakis told Enimerosi. "We haven't been updated by the Municipality, but it is definitely a step in the right direction. It would be good if it could happen in other places as well, like San Rocco, for example, which presents such an awful image at the entrance to the old town."
Campiello residents agree - with conditions
"We made this proposal to the Municipality a year ago," the president of the Association of Old Town Residents Nikos Olympios told Enimerosi. "We asked for the refuse bins outside businesses to be removed completely as they are a disgrace when they are full and overflowing. There need to be provisions for the residents, however. Underground refuse bins (e.g. at the Palace and Pentofanaro) should be used only by residents and not to be filled by businesses. This is why we also proposed that security cameras also be set up."
"It is the responsibility of the Municipality to find a solution for those being served by the bins outside the Capodistrias Mansion," he added. "If the Cleaning Service starts using the "little rockets" in Campiello and collaborates with the residents, then we are in agreement. Campiello must be provided for."
