Association of Local Authorities Recycling Programmes

The sector of material recycling out of the waste is considered as the most important intervention in the Waste Management, for the last 10 years. The advantages that appear are vital and summarized as follows: Reduction in raw material Reduction of energy and water consumption Increase of disposal site's lifetime New investments with parallel increase of jobs The Association O.T.A. of Greater Thessaloniki area has produced until now a great deal of work in the area of Recycling. It is the first association that began recycling since 1988, and consequently the first important recycling factor in Northern Greece. Since the beginning of the experiment paper recycling program in Calamaria Municipality, with 50 bins and only 4 people as staff, now the program has been expanded and functions in every municipality of Thessaloniki city having 900 paper and aluminium waste bins in its disposition and 5 waste collection vehicles covering also the collection of Plastic (P.V.C - P.E.T.) bottles with special bins. On the 6th of July 1995 the second phase of the recycling program was announced, with its expansion to the seaside and touristic areas of the Thermaikos Gulf, of Agia Triada, Mihaniona, Perea, Nei Epivates and Epanomi Minicipalities. The third phase is programmed to be expanded over the whole prefecture of Thessaloniki. The program's mechanical infractucture consists of: Vehicles for recyclable waste collection, with total capacity 75 m3 Bins for paper and alluminium with total capacity 835 m3 Repairing Vehicle The Association collects 200 tons of paper monthly, and has the perspective of encreasing it to 250 tons. It is a given fact, that very soon, within the general strategy fcamework of the Association a vast part of Thessaloniki waste will be not carried to the sanitary landfill site, but will be RECYCLED, offering essential benefits through the reduction of consumed energy and water the reduction of raw materials and the increase of waste disposal site lifetime. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS The 21th century, as everybody knows, is going to be called "Century of Ecology and Environment", since the efforts to this direction are being continously intensified. It is also as good as given, that no action for the protection of environment can be succesfull, unless every citizen is previously informed and becomes active. During the latest years, more and more international efforts show the great interest of the organizations in charge, organizations and agents, to form a NEW WAY OF THINKING AND ACTING about environment, which demands the VOLUNTARY and ACTIVE participation of every citizen in the important question of the protection of environment. For a whole year the Association of O.T.A. of Greater Thessaloniki area has materialized the RECYCLING PROGRAM (and continued it for a secont year with great succes) in all the primary schools of the prefecture of Thessaloniki, cooperating with the Ministry of Environment, and publi works, the municipalities of the city and the Municipality of Thessaloniki. We aim not only to offer knowledge about the enviromment and recycling, but the creation of environmental conscience in the pupils, already from the first years of their school education. During the program, the pupils were informed by experienced scientists, experts on environment and through the printed means (placards, stickers, The Book about Recycling, notebooks, where the program was printed on ecological paper). Also through the audiovisual means (video and slides) that were used, the children were helped to understand better the mechanisms of the protection of environment, (paper and aluminium recycling), which the Association (O.T.A.) of Greater Thessaloniki area applies since 1988 with succes. In this spirit the following had been realized: School composition about "Recycling" Drawing test with the same subject Open festivities and concerts in the city of Thessaloniki for the sensitivization of the public T.V. programs for children about recycling Educational visits to recycling sites, as well as to the Waste Transfer Station The program is developed in four main phases: The sensitivization of the pupils in the classrooms Their visit at the natural environment The elaboration of the evidence in groups among the pupils The presentation of the results in special manifestation At the same time, as soon as the program was completed or even during its realization, The Association (O.T.A.) has installed paper and aluminium bins in every school. The Association O.T.A. considers that: SCHOOL and LOCAL AUTHORITIES are the prevailing constitutions of social intervention, and only with the close and essential cooperation between them the big problems concerning wastes of modem society can be confronted.

Last update February 1, 1997