The Ministry of Interior has decided to expedite the necessary procedures to remedy 49 uncontrolled waste disposal sites in Central Macedonia, in order to provide a solution to a long-term environmental problem and to avoid further fines.
General Secretaries Kostas Poulakis and Evangelos Kapetanos, along with representatives from the Ministries of Environment and Economy have requested that the mayors of Central Macedonia who manage such landfill sites to expedite the necessary procedures.
According to the European Courts from the 2nd June 2014, every six months Greece will have to pay 80,000 euros for each uncontrolled waste disposal site still operating and 40,000 euros for one that have shut down, but not restored environmentally.
While all uncontrolled waste disposal sites in Central Macedonia have shut down, 64 of them had not been remedied. In the past year 15 were addressed, meaning that if there are not developments with the remaining 49 sites, then Greece will have to pay out about 1.9 million euros in fines. In June, Greece will owe 11 million euros.
Furthermore, the government wants to remedy the landfill sites, because as of 2016 there will be no EU subsidies provided and all necessary works must be funded by national resources.
