The Waste Treatment Unit (WTU) in Skala Lakonia is now fully operational, marking another milestone for the Integrated Waste Management project of the Peloponnese Region.
In a special event held today at MEA Lakonia, the political leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Region of Peloponnese and representatives of the local community and the media, had the opportunity to tour the state-of-the-art facilities of the Unit and watch all the stages of integrated waste management that now also takes place in Laconia.
Among the many advantages of the new plant is the fact that the Sanitary Landfill (LLLL) is located close to the plant, which allows the transport of waste and residue to be minimized.
It is recalled that integrated waste management has already started at the Palaiochounis Arcadia Unit, while integrated management at the Kalliroi Messinia Unit is expected to begin within 2024.
In total, this is an investment of 167 million euros (70 million NSRF subsidy), which includes 3 Waste Treatment Units (WWW), 3 Sanitary Landfills (WWW), 2 Transfer Stations (WWW) and is developed in 3 Subunits – Administrative Sections of the Peloponnese Region. In particular, the MEA-WTPs have been located in Arcadia, Messinia and Laconia and the SMAs in Corinthia and Argolis, so that the collection of waste takes place at a distance of less than 50 km from the capitals of the prefectures of the Region, contributing to the minimization of transport from the Municipalities.
In the context of the project, 200 permanent direct jobs are foreseen during the period of operation, i.e. for the next almost 30 years, without taking into account the stimulation of indirect employment from the operation of the project in the region (transportation, trading of recyclables, etc.).
In the short time of operation of the project, the Peloponnese Region was finally freed from the European fines related to the illegal practices of the past. In addition, the use of state-of-the-art technology manages to offer the lowest operating costs of all similar PPPs in the country, a cost that will become even lower when FODSA completes the Waste Transfer Stations network, offering significant savings to its citizens Peloponnese.
The Peloponnese Region is now entering the era of the circular economy by recovering and utilizing more than 80% of biodegradable materials, recovering quality recyclable materials, diverting at least 50,000 tons of liquid waste from landfill and producing green energy to serve the needs of 6,000 households, while avoiding releasing 24,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Thodoros Skylakakis, stated: “With the operation of the Waste Treatment Unit in Skala Laconia, another step is taken for the Integrated Waste Management of the Peloponnese Region. Multiple benefits arise from this important PPP project, especially for the local community. From the utilization of biodegradable materials, quality recyclable materials are recovered, green energy is produced for the needs of 6,000 households, carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere are reduced, permanent jobs are created, etc. It is a request for the State to implement more projects with these characteristics. Projects, that is, which have at their core initiatives for the protection of the environment and the stimulation of the economy”.
The Deputy Regional Governor of Peloponnese, Mr. Christos Lambropoulos, stated: “It is a great achievement to marry state-of-the-art technology with the skills, experiences and abilities of the Greek technical world, as well as the cooperation of the region with one of the largest companies in our country. We succeeded in creating a project which will be a legacy for future generations. We will continue to strengthen with our participation and human resources all the efforts, which, like this partnership, will lead us to development, the creation of new jobs and also to the improvement of the standard of living of the Peloponnesians”.
The Secretary General of Waste Management Coordination, Mr. Emmanuel Grafakos, stated: “For the last four and a half years, we have been methodically creating a network of waste treatment units like the one in Laconia. These units will help us to achieve the goals for recycling and burial at the level of the European Union, to become pioneers by 2030. At the same time, we rid the country of illegal landfills which in the case of the Peloponnese had significant environmental effects and we free the Greeks taxpayers from the shameful fines of the European Union».
The President of FODSA, Mr. Yiannis Smyrniotis, stated: “The second big step for a model Region of Peloponnese in waste management takes place today with the official opening of the MEA-LUMP of Unit 3 in the Municipality of Evrotas Lakonia. The Peloponnese Region will with absolute certainty in a few months be the cleanest region in Greece. OFODSA Peloponnese, representing the first level of Self-Government, will be a protagonist so that the Circular Economy and Green Entrepreneurship will be the pillars of a Sustainable Development in the next five years. Looking forward to the continuation of the fruitful cooperation with all European, National and Regional bodies, the cooperation that brought this result in the field of waste management, transforming our region from a laggard to a pioneer, we are sure that the Peloponnese – a Region with overwhelming advantages not only at the Greek level but also at the European level – it will soon take the place it deserves».
The Deputy CEO of TERNA ENERGY, Mr. Giorgos Agrafiotis, stated: “Staying true to our commitments, we achieve another important milestone in the project of integrated waste management in the Peloponnese Region. Leveraging the expertise we have developed and our ability to design, finance, build and operate PPP projects, we contribute manifold to the prosperity of the Peloponnese, protecting the health of residents and visitors, the region’s unique natural environment, upgrading its tourism product and stimulating the economy and employment. We are proud that TERNA ENERGY is once once more rising to the occasion, fully implementing what it has promised.”
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