Through the cooperation with a contractor for the collection of a separate plastic stream in 2 shopping centres (malls) in Attica, the quantities of PET bottles derived from this category have been recorded since 2019.
Municipalities Special Projects
Glass Packaging Stream
With significant quantities of glass bottles accumulated in specific business areas, HERRCO has established a separate glass recycling stream since 2013. The Blue Bell bin is the key instrument for the separate collection of glass. Blue bells serve large producers and places of business activities such as nightclubs, bars, coffee shops, restaurants, hotel complexes etc. where large quantities of glass packaging are consumed which would otherwise end up in common waste. HERRCO provides the necessary collection equipment (reusable bags or wheeled bins) to the businesses while making regular and repeated visits to raise awareness and inform them of how to participate in the program. HERRCO is responsible for collecting and transporting the material in accordance with the procedures approved by the competent authorities. Finally, the material is forwarded to producers in Greece and abroad for recovery and recycling.
Results
10.800
Blue Bells
263
Local Authorities (ΟΤΑs)
23.000
Businesses
Pilot Separate PET Collection Projects
The European Directive on disposable plastics sets out, inter alia, a different objective for the separate collection of plastic beverage bottles for 2025 and 2030. Following the European Directive 2019/904, in October 2020, Law 4736 was passed, which harmonized the European Directive and the operation of a guarantee system for plastic PET bottles was established starting in 2023.
As part of the above changes, in 2019 HERRCO started organizing pilot projects for separate collection of PET bottles. The following actions constitute a legacy for the upcoming operation of a guarantee system, as useful – operational and financial conclusions are drawn for the separate collection of this material.
The main pilot projects that have been organized since 2019 are summarized below:
Santorini
In 2019, a door-to-door collection program was launched including approximately 60 catering businesses on the island, as well as collection of material from the ports of Santorini. Also in 2020, PET-bottle-shaped bins were installed in a public space to provide a separate collection network on the island, because the results of the pilot project were particularly encouraging.
Paros
In 2019 equipment for separate collection of PET bottles was installed at Paros beach bars and the following year the programme was extended to the door-to-door collection of bottles from approximately 200 food establishments across the island. Pilot separate PET bins were installed in a public space. The participation of residents and tourists is satisfactory, and the material collected is of high purity. Similar bins have also been in operation in Antiparos since 2019 and the total quantities resulting from the Recovery Facility operating in Paros are recorded.
Collection of quantities from hotels in tourism regions
The recording of the collected quantities of PET bottles was organized in large hotel complexes in Crete, Chalkidiki, Corfu and Rhodes. Different storage and collection methods were used, as appropriate, to examine the efficiency of alternative methods.
Recording of quantities from airports
The separate collection of PET bottles was organized at Heraklion airport in Crete, with a particularly high performance especially during the six-month tourist season.
Equipment for separate collection of PET bottles was installed on the beaches of Attica (Schinias, Vouliagmeni, Porto Rafti).
In 2020, the collection of PET bottle quantities was organized by the Lesbos Reception & Identification Centre (originally from Moria and later from Kara Tepe), where useful conclusions were drawn, and significant quantities were recovered.
Paper-Cardboard Stream
In cooperation with Municipalities-Municipal Bodies and following their selection, separate paper-cardboard collection stream projects started and/or continued to operate, as in the following:
Regional Unit of Evros
DIAAMATH SA implements a separate paper/cardboard collection stream in the Regional Unit of Evros and more specifically in North Evros, with the cooperation of the Municipalities of Didimoticho and Orestiada and in the city of Alexandroupolis under the responsibility of the Municipality of Alexandroupolis. The bins serve public services, schools, universities, and museums. A total of 157 1,100 lt bins for paper/cardboard were delivered to the Regional Unit of Evros – 50 to the Municipality of Alexandroupolis, 79 to the Municipality of Orestiada, 28 to the Municipality of Didimoticho. The Alexandroupolis Municipality has not yet positioned the bins and the paper collected from the municipalities of Orestiada and Didimoticho is transferred to the MRF of Didimoticho, which operates under the responsibility of FODSA, where the residual material is removed, the paper is compressed in bales and recovered in recycling industries.
Municipality of Larisa Project
The Municipality has undertaken the organization and execution with municipal vehicles of the collection program of the blue bins bearing a special sticker with the logo: “recycle paper only”. According to the Municipality, there are around 195 of 1,100lt active bins of the project. The municipality of Larisa then delivers the materials to the MRF of Solid Waste Management Agency in Larisa.
Municipality of Larisa Project
The Municipality has undertaken the organization and execution with municipal vehicles of the collection program of the blue bins bearing a special sticker with the logo: “recycle paper only”. According to the Municipality, there are around 195 of 1,100lt active bins of the project. The municipality of Larisa then delivers the materials to the MRF of Solid Waste Management Agency in Larisa.
Paper Collection Project in the Municipality of Chalandri
The municipality is developing a separate paper-cardboard collection project with closed-type yellow bins in demarcated areas of the municipality, with a specific ratio of blue, yellow, and green bins and separate service (collection) of the bins per stream. In 2018, the project was extended to the entire Chalandri area (with the addition of 300 yellow bins being supplied by the municipality). A total of 900 yellow paper/cardboard bins are active.
Paper Collection Project in the Municipality of Patras
The municipality is developing a separate paper collection stream project in public services, schools, etc., and 600 1,100 lt bins with a yellow lid and a slot were delivered to the Municipality by HERRCO. To date, a limited number of collection bins (around 100) have been positioned under the responsibility of the Municipality.
Paper Collection Project in the Municipality of Thermi
The Municipality is developing a separate paper/cardboard collection stream to serve the entire municipality. 850 open-type 1,100lt bins with yellow lids have been positioned. The project planning is under review.
Regional Unit of Drama
DIAAMATH SA implements a separate paper/cardboard collection stream in the Regional Unit of Drama, in cooperation with the Municipalities of Drama, Doxato and Paranesti. The bins serve public services, schools, universities, and museums. A total of 180 1,100 lt bins for paper/cardboard were delivered to the Regional Unit of Drama – 140 to the Municipality of Drama, 29 to the Municipality of Doxato and 11 to the Municipality of Paranesti.
Regional Unit of Kavala
DIAAMATH SA implements a separate paper/cardboard collection stream in the Regional Unit of Kavala in cooperation with the Municipalities of Kavala and Nestos. The bins serve public services, schools, universities, and museums. The work of these Municipalities started in 2020 and operates under the responsibility of the Municipalities. A total of 142 1,100 lt bins for paper/cardboard were delivered to the Regional Unit of Kavala – 106 to the Municipality of Kavala and 36 to the Municipality of Nestos. The material collected by the Municipality of Kavala is transported to the MRF of Xanthi.
Regional Unit of Rodopi
DIAAMATH SA implements a separate paper/cardboard collection stream in the Regional Unit of Rodopi with the cooperation of the Municipalities of Komotini, Arriana, Maronia – Sapes and Iasmos. The bins serve public services, schools, universities, and museums. The work of these Municipalities started in 2017 and operates under the responsibility of the Municipalities. A total of 135 1,100 lt bins for paper/cardboard were delivered to the Regional Unit of Rodopi – 88 to the Municipality of Komotini, 19 to the Municipality of Arriana, 18 to the Municipality of Maronia – Sapes
Multi-Stream Projects
In cooperation with Municipalities-Municipal Bodies and following their selection, more than two stream projects (blue bin – blue bell) operate, such as:
DEDISA Project
The DEDISA (Inter-municipal Solid Waste Management Company SA) project serves the Municipalities of the Regional Units of Chania and Rethymno, from the MRF of Chania, which operates under the responsibility of the Agency. The project operates two streams, glass (360lt yellow or blue bin & bells) and other packagings (660 or 1,100lt blue bin). The project is operated by the Municipal Body. DEDISA (Municipalities of Apokoronas, Kantanos-Selino, Kissamos, Platanias and Chania) transports the collected loads of glass and other materials directly to the MRF of Chania, while the Municipalities of the Prefecture of Rethymno (OTAs of Agios Vasilios, Mylopotamos, Amari, Anogia and Rethymno) transport the blue bin materials to the MRF of Chania via the transshipment station of Rethymno, and the glass to Attica with the financial support of HERRCO.
DIADYMA – Waste Management of Western Macedonia SA Project
The project operates under the responsibility of FODSA and a network of four streams for paper, glass, plastic, and metals has been developed in a total of 12 Municipalities. The separate paper/cardboard stream consists of a network of 1,067 360lt bins. The plastic stream network consists of 939 360lt and 660lt bins. The metal stream network consists of 741 360lt bins. Finally, 821 360lt bins and 188 1,300lt and 2,500lt bells are used for glass. The collection routes of separate material streams are carried out either by the OTAs or by DIADYMA, and are temporarily unloaded at the nearest transshipment station. The separately collected materials (except for plastics) are then transferred to the MRF in Kozani, which operates under the responsibility of DIADYMA, where impurities are removed and the materials are then baled (except for glass) to be forwarded to final recipients. Plastics are forwarded to the MRF in Thessaloniki for further separation into the individual categories according to their chemical composition.
Stream Project with a Bag in the Municipality of Leipsoi
The collection on the island is implemented for 4 streams (Paper, Plastic, Metal and Glass) with the door-to-door method using bag that HERRCO supplies the Municipality.
Stream Project with a Bag in the municipality of Anafi
In Anafi, the project has been designed and is implemented in four packaging waste streams that are collected door-to-door and stored in a bag which HERRCO supplies the Municipality. The materials are collected and transferred to the facility of a local Municipality partner, where they are baled per stream without sorting. Then, the baled materials are transferred, under the responsibility of the municipality and with the financial support of HERRCO, to the MRF of Thira for further sorting and forwarding to the secondary market.
Stream Project with a Bag in the municipality of Voula – Vouliagmeni
In a specific area of the Municipality of Voula – Vouliagmeni (Pigadakia), a pilot project for the collection of packaging waste in 2 streams involving a door-to-door bag collection (Paper – Other) and Glass collection with a bell is implemented.
Stream Project with a Bag in the municipality of Filothei – Psychiko
In Psychiko, a separate paper/cardboard packaging collection stream has been designed and implemented using the bag and the door-to-door method.
Aluminium Stream
HERRCO, in cooperation with selected Municipalities such as Paros, Larisa, and others, as well as hotel complexes in Attica & Chalkidiki, operates a pilot project of separate aluminium packaging collection stream. The purpose of the programme is to measure the productivity and to estimate the collection costs separately from other materials. HERRCO delivers the appropriate equipment and records the entire route of the material concerned from its disposal within the company to its delivery to the final recycler.
Event support with equipment, collection & quantity recording.
HERRCO implements the collection and sorting of materials deriving from major events (e.g. in Herodion, in the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus), such as concerts, exhibitions (e.g. Oenorama) or sporting events (e.g. Classic Marathon) that take place in the said venues and delivers the necessary equipment, such as small 120lt wheeled bins or disposable bags. In particular, in cooperation with the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, HERRCO has placed recycling bins at the entrance of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus to recycle the quantities of plastics produced. Each year, it also supports the Athens Authentic Marathon where a large number of PET bottles are consumed. Special disposable bags are given to volunteers for the disposal of bottles, while collection bins are placed at the start, end, and at various locations along the route. Every year, about 35 events and concerts that take place at large and open venues such as squares, stadiums and football fields throughout Greece are served with special collection bins from HERRCO.
But its action does not stop here. Historical buildings and important Institutions in Greece trust HERRCO, which supports their effort to recycle packaging materials and equips them with suitable bins. Examples are the historic building of the Hellenic Parliament, the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS), buildings of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance and, of course, the building of the Ministry of Environment and Energy that are equipped with special equipment, recycling bins and regular collection routes on a weekly basis.
Innovation
Besides the blue bin, the blue bell, and the special projects that HERRCO implements, as appropriate, in collaboration with Municipalities or Municipal Bodies, it has positioned 5 Reverse Vending Machines in well-known supermarket chains under a pilot programme, where quantities are collected and recorded. The three materials, plastic, aluminium, and glass, are placed in a hole and land in 3 different bins following a visual separation. The machines were placed for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of this method and exploring consumer interest, and in particular that of youth, so as to assess whether this collection infrastructure can be utilized for demonstration purposes and serve as an educational tool for the initiation in the packaging recycling practice.