The Municipality of North Corfu has officially requested permission to keep disposing of its waste at the CHYTY Palairos landfill facility in Vónitsa through 2026, Mayor Giorgos Machimaris announced on Tuesday, October 29.
Current Arrangement Continues Under Ministerial Decision
At present, North Corfu still sends its garbage to Palairos under last year’s ministerial decision, which remains in force. The municipality is asking to keep this setup for one more year, as regional tensions over waste management grow.
The situation is very different from that of the Municipality of South Corfu, which was told by the Ministry of Environment to stop sending waste to Palairos and start sending it to Epirus instead.
South Corfu’s Failed Transfer to Epirus Facilities
South Corfu attempted to transfer a quantity of unprocessed waste to the CHYTY Vlachierna facility in Arta, but the move drew strong opposition from local mayors. Arta’s municipal leaders argued that their region is required to send waste to processing plants and bury only residual materials.
“Why was South Corfu allowed to send waste directly to the landfill without processing?” local mayors asked, pointing to what they saw as unequal treatment under environmental rules.
The processing plant in Epirus stated it could accept only 5,000 tons of additional waste, having already exhausted its operating capacity. This limit has created a bottleneck in the region’s waste management system.
Epirus Refuses Additional Corfu Waste
Citing these capacity limits, Nikos Georgakos, President of FOSDA Epirus and Mayor of Preveza, said several days ago on ERT Ioannina that Epirus will not accept any more garbage from Corfu because the processing facility has reached its limit.
“As a result, we cannot accept waste from North Corfu,” Georgakos said, effectively closing the door on the Epirus option for northern municipalities.
This statement has left North Corfu with few alternatives for waste disposal, making the Palairos facility the most viable option for continued operations.
Mayor Prefers Palairos Solution
Mayor Machimaris said today that he prefers to send waste to Palairos, but stressed that the final decision rests with the Ministry of Environment. His preference reflects practical considerations and also the lack of alternative facilities willing to accept the municipality’s waste.
“We have submitted our request and are waiting for the ministry’s response,” Machimaris said. “The Palairos facility has served us well, and we think this arrangement should continue.”
Regional Waste Management Crisis Deepens
The dispute over waste disposal highlights broader challenges in Greece’s regional waste management system. The Ionian Islands and western Greece have struggled for years to develop adequate processing capacity, leading to disputes between regions and dependence on facilities that operate near or beyond their designed capacity.
Environmental experts have long warned that Greece’s waste management system needs substantial investment in modern processing facilities and recycling infrastructure to meet European Union standards and handle growing waste volumes.
The Ministry of Environment has not yet replied to North Corfu’s request for the 2026 waste disposal arrangement. A decision is expected before the end of the year, allowing municipalities enough time to prepare alternative solutions if the request is denied.
Impact on Municipal Operations
The uncertainty around waste disposal arrangements poses significant operational challenges for North Corfu. The municipality must keep continuous waste collection services for residents and businesses while navigating complex political dynamics between regions.
If the ministry rejects the request to use Palairos, North Corfu would face the same predicament as South Corfu, with Epirus facilities refusing to accept additional waste. This scenario could force the municipality to seek more distant and more expensive disposal options or invest quickly in local processing infrastructure.
The situation underlines the urgent need for comprehensive regional planning and investment in waste management facilities across western Greece and the Ionian Islands.
Source: https://corfutvnews.gr/aitima-gia-diathesi-aporrimmaton-to-2026-sto-chyty-palairou-apo-ton-dimo-voreias-kerkyras/
