Waste collection in europe Yiassou! Collecting waste in Kefalonia Although Kefalonia is one of the largest , it is also one of the least populated. Tim Byrne explains how the island has a different waste collection system to the rest of its neighbours, looks at its choice of refuse collection vehicles and asks whether the island meets EU legislation on working hours.

efalonia has seven coast of and collect the MSW from the dedicated refuse collection holiday resort of Lassi. One is also operational rounds or ‘programmes’ in the Poros, Skala area, one in Sami and Aghi as the Greeks class them. Efthiamia and one in . There are no separate There is also an older Mercedes 2024 two municipalities on Kefalonia which collect their axle Faun Variopress unit working on its own municipalK solid waste (MSW) separately like designated collection route around Mineas and their neighbouring islands e.g. , the area close to the Airport. Corfu. Instead a company was set up called the In the summer season, there are an Kefalonia Intermunicipal Enterprise for Waste additional four spare RCVs. These help the Management and Environmental Protection. larger rounds in the summer tourist season. This company is responsible for the entire These vehicles consist of a Steyr 91 two-axle collection and disposal of MSW on Kefalonia complete with Kaoussis Rotopress equipment. and also incorporates the subsequent collection The Steyr 91 two axle Kaoussis Rotopress and disposal of MSW for the neighbouring works near in the summer and three Island of . Mercedes Sks two-axle complete with Kuka Rotopress equipment work in Lixouri, Mineas, Vehicle types Poros and Aghi Efthiamia in the summer. Refuse collection is carried out using the 1100 The latter three vehicles were purchased litre roll-top steel containers and conventional second-hand from Germany as, before the Mercedes Atego and Mercedes Actros Greek Islands bought brand new RCVs, they two and three axle chassis. These include used to import well maintained used RCVs from Kaoussis CRV1600 Rotopress type compaction Germany, that were seven to eight years old, prolong the working life of these vehicles by an area, there are no hotels situated in this area equipment and Norba RL300 series press type and use these for their operations for another additional 10 -15 years. or tavernas, shops etc that will produce the equipment. All vehicles are of the rear loader 10-15 years of use. Before the five new press Their preferred compaction equipment is additional quantities of waste that you would type design. type vehicles entered service in 2002 and the Rotopress because it only has three moving expect from Argostoli and Lassi. This area The Mercedes Atego two-axle Kaoussis Kaoussis CRV1600 Units joined the fleet in 1999 parts, obviously a benefit in maintenance terms. comprises domestic dwellings which don’t CRV1600 Rotopress vehicles are of 12 tonnes and Mercedes SK Faun Variopress in 1996, the It is also an advantage to the municipalities produce vast quantities of MSW. The waste they gross vehicle weight (GVW) and are two metre old fleet of RCVs used on Kefalonia were all since they have limited resources in workshops produce consists mainly of vegetable and fruit in width. Two of these vehicles are used on second-hand vehicles from Germany. and engineers. The chassis types preferred matter. This could be composted, but the Greek the Island of Ithaca and one is used in certain Another reason why this was the initial are MAN or Mercedes Benz since they have a government has little funding with which to build districts of Argostoli and in the small port of preferred option was that all the 1100 litre reputation for rugged reliability and are excellent AD plants next to the existing landfill. In practice Fiskardo and give a net legal payload of six roll-top steel containers used in are of for operational purposes. this would be good as it would help the Greeks tonnes. A similar type collection vehicle, based the trunnion type design compatible with the In recent years, this trend has changed partly meet landfill diversion targets of 35% removal of on the Mercedes Atego two axle chassis, again standard trunnion type lift employed in Germany because of additional subsidies from the EU as biodegradable waste from the landfill stream. two metres in width, has Mazzocchia press type and compatible to DIN 30700 legislation for well as the existing and forthcoming legislation Once the vehicle has covered this area it equipment fitted to it. container handling equipment. from the EU regarding the recycling of MSW. then services the central communal collection This also collects MSW from inaccessible This is the EU defined recognisable lifting point in the centre of Sami which consists of areas of the Island where manoeuvrability is requirement for European lifting equipment Operational procedures in the morning eight to ten 1100 litre containers. tight for an eighteen tonne RCV of the standard fitted to RCVs with the exception of the UK as The refuse collection vehicles start work at These containers are used for domestic width of 2.5 metres. The suitability of the we have our own lifting type legislation and various times between 3-5am in the morning. dwellings as well as C&I category waste which rotopress is that it only has three moving parts regulations which is CHEM. When the five new The vehicles normally collect one full load on is from the tavernas, shops etc in central Sami. and requires little maintenance. This is just vehicles arrived in 2002 their lifting equipment their round in the summer averaging between The collection vehicle on the evening shift right for the warm climate of Greece and only was DIN 30700 trunnion and DIN 30740 an eight and twelve tonne payload for the two completes its route here giving a net payload of requires basic skills of maintenance. compatible also including comb lift. axle units as the gross vehicle weight (GVW) around eight tonnes. The payload is not high as The standard width Mercedes Actros two The warm climate of Greece combined with in Greece is higher than in the UK. The plated most of the initiation of this load has been made and three axle Kaoussis RCVs are employed limited funding from the EU influenced the weight of the two axle units operating are 20 up with the waste collected from Sami. in the municipalities of Argostoli. Having decision of municipalities to buy second-hand tonnes GVW legal compared to in the UK where Once the summer season is over, the completed their rounds, they drive along the RCVs. It was hoped the warm climate would the GVW is 18 tonnes. The three axle unit gives additional four support vehicles are retained as a payload of 16 tonnes and the GVW of this spare vehicles to cover routine maintenance unit is 30 tonnes GVW. Legally this differentiates and as general spare vehicles. from a three axle unit working in the UK that The additional work that these four vehicles has a legal GVW of 26 tonnes. These vehicles assisted with in the summer goes back onto the average daily one load on the basis that there main rounds to expand their rounds and give an are four additional support RCVs as mentioned average daily tonnage over the autumn, winter earlier assisting with the collection rounds in the and spring seasons which generally is around summer and these do an additional one load 6-10 tonnes net payload per vehicle. each as well. The smaller units of narrow width are 15 tonnes GVW and carry a legal payload of EU legislation six tonnes. The collection system in Kefalonia is good, but in order to meet EU legislation on working hours Operational procedures in the evenings i.e.. 48-hour working week, it would be better to To keep on top of the influx of waste created have two collection shifts. One collection MSW by the tourists in the summer there are also through the night e.g. 00.00 hours – 05.00 hours two refuse collection vehicles operational on and an additional shift starting 06.00 hours – an evening basis. One covers Argostoli and 12.00 hours. Due to the large influx of MSW in Lassi while the other works on two consecutive the summer season there may be the option afternoons a week covering Eastern Kefalonia of having three shifts. Two as stated above and and Sami. This vehicle only covers Eastern also an afternoon shift from 17.00hours – 22.00 Kefalonia twice a week as it is not a high tourist hours. RWW

8 July 22 2010 www.recyclingwasteworld.co.uk Recycling& WASTE WORLD