Response awaited about where hazardous waste will be sent

The meeting chaired by Mr. Grafakos is expected to finally unravel the puzzle of how to move the hazardous waste from the Goggakis premises in Corfu. The dispute that has emerged boils down to two alternative approaches — each carrying a different cost and environmental impact.

According to sources from the Central Corfu Municipality, legislation clearly assigns full responsibility to the company for managing its waste. If the company is unable to do so, it must seek assistance from the decentralised services of the national government.

At the heart of the issue lies the absence of a licensed waste receiver on the island — a fact that makes the situation particularly complex. Transporting the waste off the island would cost several times more. Company sources, however, argue that the law allows for on-island disposal in exceptional circumstances. That option was ruled out on Saturday by the Prosecutor’s Office, which rejected the emergency and exceptional use of the Temploni facility.

Meanwhile, Goggakis company representatives expressed frustration that since the day after the disaster — last Saturday — no one has contacted them. Their attempts to coordinate with government officials, they added, have led nowhere.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS