The project idea was developed as part of the effort to tackle the waste management problem that the Municipality of Corfu is facing over the years. Indeed this problem has climaxed to such a degree that municipal waste was left in the streets for a 22 days in July 2016. The total volume of waste collected after this crisis amounted to more than 6000 tons. In order to address this problem the Municipality of Corfu has requested, since April 2016, the expert assistance of the National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering in novel waste management practices, and the Ionian University, Dept of Informatics to optimise the practices of the waste collection services.
Given the touristic nature of Corfu the waste management problem is exaggerated over the touristic season. The extension of this consortium to the Albanian partners came through the close relationship of the Municipality of Corfu with the Municipality of Saranda, since the latter is an upcoming tourist destination facing a similar challenge for the problem of waste management revealing the cross border nature of the project. Finally the Region of Vlore joined this partnership given that they share the ownership of the waste management problem with the Municipality of Saranda and of course to accumulate knowledge and experience that could later be transferred to the rest of the municipalities under its auspices. As such the project addresses issues, which result from the difficulty of CB to manage intense solid waste flows in highly touristic areas especially during the summer. As an example the daily standard total of solid waste inflow for the island of Corfu as is approx. 120 tons during the winter, which is multiplied by 2,5 for the main 6 month tourist season (min. 300 tons daily).
Only 7% of that volume is collected via the recyclable material blue bin network with the rest being directed to landfill treatment. In Albania the generation of municipal solid waste per inhabitant has significantly increased over the last few years. In 2010 the amount of MSW produced in Albania was 335 kg per capita. This constitutes 80 % increase, compared to the amount of MSW generated in 2003 which was 184 kg per person. The fact of this rapid development in MSW generation underlines the pressure for improving MSW management in Albania. The current situation exhibits lack of sufficient planning for both countries to address the problems. One suggested measure from the Greek national legislation, conforming to EU strategies, also applicable to Albanian environmental regulation, is to separate solid waste at the source, i.e. separating organic waste from recyclable material at the waste producers’ responsibility. Waste management in Albania is at a low level. Although the level of waste generation is below average, the systems of collection and disposal are poor.
The current level of MSW recycling is very low and there is a lack of separate collection of the generated waste That and the fact that it is a candidate country for EU accession make the harmonisation with EU policies for sound waste management incumbent. The project’s approach in addressing these common challenges is by promoting a complementary sustainable waste management system for both countries. Therefore this project will identify solutions using novel information systems for optimization of waste collection (GIS of collection points, Information system of waste collection fleet, alternative collection routes).
In addition, this proposal will support the development of waste management infrastructure with the acquisition of modernised technical means. To this aim networking among main stakeholders, major producers of waste, local authorities and tourism bodies will be at the centre of the activities in order to enhance the collaboration and create knowledge base building. Finally the integration of these activities will be achieved through the action plan for joint managements, Protocols for the CBC area municipality cooperation, Sustainability plan and Waste prevention practices for citizens’ awareness and their active role in the municipal waste management.
Main target groups are public authorities involved, professionals in the tourism industry (large producers of organic waste), the employees of these hotels, restaurants and catering services, as well as the public who will witness for the first time a pre-separated waste protocol being applied in the CB area.
