Lavrio, GREECE
| Partnername | Location | ||
| Municipality of Lavrio | Country | Greece | |
| Region | Attika | ||
| City | Lavrio | ||
PHASE 1 Identification and selection of the Kaminada landfill in Lavrio
Landfills in Greece are an acute problem because most landfills out of 3000 sites have been operating illegally with severe negative environmental and social impacts. The national government has been forced by the European Commission and Court of Justice to launch in 2003 a National Plan of Solid Waste Management. Objective of this plan is to have all existing landfills closed in 2008. As a result a programme started in 2004 for redevelopment of uncontrolled landfills (chada). Currently for 75% of the landfills redevelopment plans have been approved.
Kaminada landfill
This landfill or 'chada' of Lavriotiki is a typical case of the hundreds unregulated and uncontrolled landfills operating untill recently in Greece. It is situated in Kaminada, just 2.5 kilometres from the city of Lavrio. It started in 1974 and was managed and operated by the Municipality of Lavrio. It has been serving the Municipality of Lavrio (almost 11.000 inhabitants) and another small village of almost 700 inhabitants. It covers about 16.5 hectares and its heighest top is over 37 metres. The total amount of mainly solid household waste is estimated to 125.000 cubic metres.
From the beginning it has been evident that the landfill was causing environmental degradation and was posing severe dangers to the area and public health. All these years the waste was burned with high risks of a fire outbreak in the nearby forests as a consequence. In 2003 the burning of the waste stopped and from that moment on the waste is covered with soil.
Although the Municipality's Council has decided to close the Kaminada landfill in accordance with EU- and national legislation and a redevelopment has been approved the landfill is still active. A new environmentally controlled landfill in Neraki is under construction. Recently the Ministry of Environment has ordered once more the municipalities to close the uncontrolled landfills.
Redevelopment feasibility
Even though the landfill is still in operation the first steps for redevelopment have been taken. There is a steady politcal will to have the landfill redeveloped and re-used. In terms of SufalNet's Model Strategy the landfill could be categorized as a medium risk potential.
The surrounding area has an increased vulnerability because of the nearby river Kiprianos, the permeable soil (marbles) and residential areas. An engineering solution is needed to control the environmental risks.
Furthermore the site has a wide re-use potential. Lavrio would like to rehabilitate the area to a recreation and commercial centre to serve the wider region. In this way the environmental and social quality of the area will be upgraded by connecting the natural and cultural landscape of Lavriotiki.
To finance the costs public and private investments are needed. The EU-Structural Fund of East Attica will be requested to finance the initial funding.
All main stakeholders such as the Region of East Attica, the Union of Municipalities and Communities of East Attica, Development Association of Lavriotiki, the Lavrio Technical and Cultural Park will be involved in the planning process.
