Not many destinations have proper on-island waste treatment and disposal facilities that are truly sustainable. Chief among the stumbling blocks in the way of sustainability, are cost issues that challenge local authorities, and the scarcity of private initiatives.
Landfills have been the talk for many years among the ecologically minded in Greece. Of special import for any nation dependent on island tourism, waste disposal is a problem for many small islands outside Greece as well. Not many destinations have proper on-island waste treatment and disposal facilities that are truly sustainable. Chief among the stumbling blocks in the way of sustainability, are cost issues that challenge local authorities, and the scarcity of private initiatives.
With the Greece problem in focuse, news the European Court of Justice fined Greece a whopping 10-million-euro (US$11mln) for failing to comply with EU regulations on the management of hazardous waste, after a 2010 report found that as much as 80% of waste ends up at landfill sites, the country still lacks solutions to address landfill issues. As for the “island” issue, those ecosystems are among the most affected, and especially after the high tourist seasons. While progressive waste management efforts could solve part of the problem, it’s important to note that Greece is still way behind other European countries when it comes to strategies like recycling and others.
Where visibility for the problem is concerned, of particular note was the fact Will Smith and his family have recently taken their time to clean up three beaches on Antipaxos.
“Being so far away from what I perceive as a polluted metropolis, I couldn't stand seeing these beautiful beaches in Greece littered with trash,” wrote the actor’s daughter, Willow Smith, sharing a picture on Instagram. “I saw seagulls, dead on their backs from choking on tiny slivers of plastic and other non-biodegradable materials. They even die from eating fish who have ingested these particle-size slivers. Four beautiful humans accompanied my mom and me in gathering 22 trash bags full of plastics and urban debris off of three small beaches in Antípaxos, Greece.”
And Antípaxos is not a singular issue. On Santorini, just outside Fira, a massive dump site spoils the magic of the island and threatens to become an environmental issue of grand proportions. Nothing seems to be being done, even though the Greek “garbage crisis” has been discussed for years, things are not getting any better. Although small islands are more threatened than anywhere else, the waste disposal issue affects Greece at a national level too. In June, Greek garbage collectors made the headlines because the country’s seventh year of austerity threatened their jobs. In the wake off all this, loyal authorities have turned to the private sector for rubbish removal, but things are still not looking good. The strike is an isolated incident compared to the number of illegal dumps scattered all over the country in 2013. Back then, Greece hoped to rid the country of illegal dumps in 12 months. Four years later, you can still find illegal dump sites all over the place, especially more on the country’s cut-off islands.
The problem seems to be bureaucracy, but when the authorities fail, the responsibility falls on normal citizens to address the problem. There are solutions that can be followed by regular citizens to reduce waste and landfill waste. If implemented now, these can help shape a better future for the islands. Fines for tourists found littering could also give problem-solving a boost.
In the meanwhile, no matter what the headlines tell us, dump sites can break the fragile ecosystems around us. There are many success stories that prove that dump sites can be transformed into areas that benefit the people and the environment. Parco San Giuliano in Mestre, Venice, was originally a marshland that was used to dump industrial sludge and municipal waste, which harmed the wildlife in the lagoon. This is one of several examples of initiatives the focused-on nature conservation rather than adding more landfills to harm fragile ecologies. Will Greece learn from its neighbors or will the garbage crisis prevail?
Laura Kohlenberger is a freelance travel writer with a focus on hospitality, lifestyle, and ecotourism. She is also writing marketing materials for hotels and restaurants, as well as articles about destinations and children's travel activities.
