During the workshop, representatives of the state, local authorities, the scientific and business community and the institutions of the European Union discussed proposals and solutions about successful international practices regarding the management of industrial waste.
The workshop began with the welcome speeches of the General Manager of SEVIAN, Mr. Christos Karagiannis, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change Mr. Aris Alexopoulos. Subsequently, Mr Dimitris Kontaxis member of the BOD, made a presentation about the current situation concerning the management of industrial waste in Greece.
Afterwards, a panel of experts, representing the entire spectrum of the social partners of the Greek industrial waste market, expressed different views, in which the open dialog that followed was based.
The panel, which was coordinated by the Vice Chairman of SΕVIAN, Mr. Panagiotis Skiadas, attended by Mr. Klearhos Pergandas Prefect of Central Greece, Mrs. Margarita Karavasili Special Secretary for the Environment and Energy Inspectorate, Mr. Costas Kiriazis, member of the EU Task Force for Greece, Mr. Petros Varelidis Special Advisor of SG MEECC, Mr. George Kremlis Head of the "Cohesion Policy and Environmental Impact Assessments" Unit in the Directorate-General for the Environment of the European Commission, Aand Mr. Apostolos Blisidis Professor of Environmental Technology of NTUA.
Mr. Christos Karagiannis, the General Manager of SEVIAN pointed out that “challenge of green growth which was a slogan two years ago, today has turned into a surviving bet for the industries”.
Mr. Aris Alexopoulos, Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change said: “we did an inventory of the quantities of hazardous waste, while we systematically recorded in the Annual Report of Waste Producer. Also a survey in GIS maps of the existing and also the planned units of hazardous waste treatment, has been performed based on the under evaluation proposals from the industry”. He also called upon the investors, who had submitted proposals for the construction of hazardous waste management units in July 2010, urging them to proceed with the preparation of necessary environmental impact studies. Mr Alexopoulos also announced the signing of an agreement between the Ministry and the Hellenic Cement Industry Association for the use of alternative fuels, whose use in cement industry practice is recognized by the European Union as the Best Available Technique.
Mr. Dimitris Kontaxis, member of SEVIAN’S BOD, presented the current situation, summarizing the problem of the hazardous waste management in the lack of specialized infrastructures, the lack of the proper waste reporting and bureaucracy in licensing for the producers. He also emphasized that “it is an immediate need to fill the institutional framework for construction of Industrial Waste Landfill and Hazardous Waste Landfill”, while underlined the need to inform the local stakeholders for the environmental and economic benefits from controlled and waste disposal requirements.
Mr. George Kremlis, Head of the Unit for the Environment of the European Commission, presented the European waste policy, highlighting the problems of integration and implementation of the community legislation in Greece, stressing out however that the rate of reuse of the hazardous waste is up to 80%. Mr Kremlis
also compared Greece with other countries and wondered why the debate stays around the waste disposal and not includes issues required by the international
practice like: energy research using new modern technologies such as cracking (pyrolysis) and gasification.
The rest of the participant stated the following:
Mrs. Margarita Karavasili, Special Secretary for the Environment and Energy Inspectorate, stressed out the uncontrolled spread of pollution and described it as a decease that Greek citizens are called to pay.
Mr. Klearhos Pergandas, Prefect of Central Greece, highlighted the inherent weaknesses of the public sector due to the horizontal reduction of personnel and considered decisive the participation of the industry for the better management of available resources and sustainability issues.
Mr. Costas Kiriazis, member of the EU Task Force for Greece, said that the Task Force’s involvement in the field of environment in Greece is related to the financing of ESPA, the implementation of the decisions by the public management and the creation of a healthy business environment.
Mr. Petros Varelidis Special Advisor of SG MEECC, pointed out that this current scheme leads to the distortion of the market and turn significant resources abroad.
Mr. Apostolos Blisidis Professor of Environmental Technology of NTUA raised the dilemma “development or environment” saying that “in this county the status of industrial activity has fallen”.
Mr. Panagiotis Skiadas, Vice Chairman of SΕVIAN summarizing the conclusions of the workshop, stated that there should be cooperation with the industry to update the Environmental Auditors Special Service for the pollution potential of each sector for more effective inspections. He also emphasized the need from the state to complete the institutional framework for the construction of the Hazardous Waste Landfill and that there will be investments as long as the investors will be treated candor.
Finally, he said that the majority of the industry will operate lawfully, provided that the construction of the infrastructure will proceed, and also the controls will be more
effective.
The workshop, which took place at the “B & M Theocharakis Foundation”, was initiated by the Federation of Hellenic Recycling and Energy Recovery Industries and was attended –among others- from representatives of the state, academic and business community, local authorities, the media and the civil society.
Presentations from the workshop:
