The Municipality of Alimos is implementing the programme “Biowaste Management Actions”, which concerns the development of a biowaste programme and a home composting programme in the Municipality of Alimos. It covers the supply of biowaste bins (500 biowaste collection bins of 240 lt, 80 bins of 360 lt, 1,010 bins of 1,100 lt, 7,500 household collectors of 10 lt and 450,000 biodegradable bags), the supply of mechanical equipment (3 biowaste collection vehicles) and the supply of a shredder for large bulky green waste.

The aim of the programme is the conservation and protection of the environment and the promotion of the efficient use of resources: waste prevention, preparation for re-use, separate collection and recycling of waste, including composting.

This project aims at a gradual move towards more sustainable solid waste management for the Municipality of Alimos, so that the changes required to meet the objectives of European and Greek legislation (Directive 98/2008 and Law 4042 respectively) are achieved. At the core of sound waste management is the requirement to reduce the quantity of waste produced, to increase re-use, recycling and the recovery of materials and energy, and to drastically reduce the biowaste sent to landfill; it contributes to the relevant objectives of both the National and the Regional Waste Management Plan currently under revision.

This proposal of the Municipality of Alimos contributes to waste prevention, preparation for re-use, separate collection and recycling of waste, including composting. It covers the implementation of two different separate biowaste collection programmes by source (households and large producers) and one home composting programme. With the implementation of the programmes it is estimated that a total of 3,584 tonnes of biowaste will be diverted through separate collection, a share of roughly 40% of the household waste produced.

The expected benefits of the programme consist in providing opportunities and creating incentives for the development of a more integrated and sustainable management system for the different biowaste streams. This can bring a series of environmental, economic and social benefits and contribute significantly to moving the existing system away from common practices such as the direct disposal of biowaste to landfill without prior treatment.

The Programme is co-funded by the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the European Union.