Towards an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable municipal waste management in Greece
Posted on July, 16 2024
A new study by WWF Greece reveals that Greece can achieve a 35% reduction in waste generation and a 90% recycling rate by 2040, all while avoiding wasteful investments that hinder its transition to a circular economy.
Greece ranks among the worst in the EU in terms of municipal waste management performance. Over 80% of waste ends up in landfills, and the EU recently announced that the country's actual recycling rate is no higher than 16%. Waste generation has skyrocketed by almost 73% since 1995, placing Greece among the five worst performers in the EU. The root causes of Greece's struggles with municipal waste management are multifaceted, including political apathy, lax enforcement of regulations, a lack of resources and expertise at the local government level, entrenched corruption, and inadequate public awareness. Despite the current shortcomings, WWF Greece believes that the country can establish a sustainable waste management system and has the potential to transition towards a circular economy, reaping substantial economic, social, and environmental benefits. This transformation hinges on adherence to the waste management hierarchy, a five-step process prioritizing prevention, reuse, recycling, residual waste management, and, as a last resort, incineration or landfilling of non-manageable waste.
In light of these challenges, WWF Greece unveils an ambitious yet achievable plan to transform Greece's municipal waste management system into a sustainable model. By adopting the recommended policies and measures, Greece can not only meet its EU targets but also emerge as a frontrunner in waste management practices. The proposed strategy outlines a path towards:
- A 35% reduction in waste generation by 2040
- A 50% reduction in food waste by 2040
- A 90% recycling rate by 2040
- Diversion of 92% of waste from landfills by 2040
- Savings of at least €3 billion in waste management investments
- Adopt a "Pay-as-you-throw" system to promote waste reduction.
- Implement door-to-door sorting of food waste, as practiced in other European countries.
- Establish separate collection streams for different recyclable materials, gradually phasing out the use of residual and mixed recyclables bins.
- Develop transparent recycling systems ensuring that businesses bear the true cost of their waste.
- Foster incentives and funding for reuse, promoting the development of new products and services.
- Empower municipalities with training, expertise, and resources.
- Implement a robust control and accountability mechanism to combat corruption.
- Launch comprehensive information campaigns and consultation processes to actively engage citizens.
Waste incineration: Is it as bad as it sounds?
The Greek National Waste Management Plan, issued in 2020 and amended in 2023, promotes waste incineration as the primary treatment method for municipal waste. WWF Greece's proposal highlights the perils of Greece's shift towards mass waste incineration. Specifically, incineration contributes to significant greenhouse gas emissions (a one ton of waste incineration releases about 1-1.2 tons of CO2) and toxic air pollutants (e.g., dioxins, volatile heavy metals), posing risks to public health and the environment.
Moreover, the immense costs of constructing and operating incineration facilities will lock the waste management system into this approach for the next 30-40 years, totally hindering recycling and prevention efforts. Furthermore, the European Commission has made it clear that investments in incineration plants will not receive EU funding as they contradict the 'do no harm' principle. In contrast, recycling generates 75-80% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to incineration.
"Greece lags far behind in municipal waste management, and incremental improvements are no longer an option. The European Commission and the Greek Ombudsman have long identified the numerous issues plaguing this sector, urging a series of structural reforms that have yet to be met by the Greek government. Only through innovation and bold action can we hope to transform the circular economy into a reality, and not into another missed opportunity. Municipal waste management must become a unifying force for all political forces, as ineffective management may yield short-term profits for a few but inflicts far greater damage on public finances, the environment, and public health" emphasizes Achilles Plitharas, WWF Greece's Footprint Manager.
Notes & Accompanying Materials for journalists
- Full Report (in Greek)
- Executive Summary (in English)
- Charts: EU Requirements vs. Our Practices / Waste Management Hierarchy / Benefits of Our Proposed Approach