Joint press release from the Ministries of Economy and Finance, Interior, Environment and Energy
The end burial, now, it becomes remunerative to the OTAs, returning 85% of the funds collected to the local government for recycling management projects, while the remaining 15% will be allocated for restoration projects of uncontrolled waste disposal sites. This was announced in a joint press release by the Ministries of Economy and Finance, Interior, Environment and Energy.
In fact, as underlined: in order to ensure the collection of the fee, EDSNA and FOSDA are disengaged from the process of collection and return of the fee. With pending legislation, the fee will now be paid to the Hellenic Recycling Organization, directly through municipal fees.
In detail, as stated in their joint statement by the three ministries:
“The government is working on a specific plan to definitively solve the serious issue of waste management with the most modern methods. This is being done throughout the country in close cooperation and with honest dialogue with local communities, Municipalities and Regions.
The central objective of the landfill tax is to motivate the effort to increase the percentage of waste that is recycled, so that there is a sustainable solution for waste management, reducing the environmental footprint and the burden on the respective regions of the country where waste is currently buried.
In addition, this is an obligation of the country towards the European Union, to which the country currently pays exorbitant fines, but also an important milestone of the Recovery Fund.
The landfill tax exists today, for the same reason, in 23 EU countries and is especially necessary in Greece, as the total recycling in 2022, including composting, amounts to only 17.3% of the generated municipal waste, while according to with Directive 2008/98/EC on waste, the objective of preparation for reuse and recycling of municipal waste which should have been achieved by the end of 2020, it is at least 50%.
For this purpose, the burial fee now becomes remunerative to the OTAs, returning 85% of the funds collected to the local government for recycling management projects, while the remaining 15% will be allocated for rehabilitation projects of uncontrolled waste disposal sites.
In order to ensure the collection of the fee, EDSNA and FOSDA are disengaged from the process of collection and return of the fee. With pending legislation, the fee will now be paid to the Hellenic Recycling Organization, directly through municipal fees.”
As it became known, in order to ensure the financial viability and financial planning of the municipalities, the Government is taking the following steps:
For 2025, the fee to be collected will concern the second half of 2023 and the first half of 2024 which are pending. For 2026, respectively, the fee to be collected will concern the second half of 2024 and the first half of 2025. The fees of the following years will be collected accordingly.
For the OTAs of the Attica Region, the 34.7 million who have paid twice for the burial fee of 2022, are offset by their debts to EDSNA of the second semester of 2023 and the first semester of 2024. Therefore, the burden within 2025 will be limited. In order not to create a deficit in EOAN, due to the non-payment of the burial fee for 2022 by EDSNA, 34.7 million will be paid to him from the state budget reserve. It is pointed out that the non-payment of the burial fee by EDSNA to EOAN, is the subject of an investigation by the National Transparency Authority, as early as March 2024, the conclusion of which is expected immediately.
In addition, in order to deal with the increased operating costs of local authorities for 2025 and beyond, the Central Autonomous Resources are increased by an additional 70 million. euro.
According to the plan of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the resources of the burial fee will be allocated, after consultation with the Local Government, as follows:
By around 85% on equipment and infrastructure to promote reuse, separate collection and recycling, which will reduce the burial fee paid by municipalities, making it easier for them to meet their targets. The infrastructure and equipment will be explicitly included in the holistic recycling plans drawn up by each FODSA, with the aim of increasing recycling in the country, in the framework of the implementation of the agreement made by the Greek Government with the European Commission for the financing of the Recovery and Recycling Units from the NSRF 2021-2027. The full financing of the holistic plans from the burial tax and the NSRF, ensures their implementation, thus the increase in recycling. Potential beneficiaries and users of the equipment will be Municipalities and FODSAs. Part of these resources will cover, by providing a service, the needs of separate collection of recycling streams in small island and mountainous municipalities with less than 10,000 inhabitants, in accordance with the provisions of Law 5151/24.
By approximately 15% in closing and rehabilitating landfills, landfills and other places from uncontrolled waste disposal, so that these resources can contribute significantly to the upgrading of the environment, but also to put an end to many waste burial sites in the country.
At the same time, according to the announcement, with resources gathered from the plastic bag fee, the Ministry of Environment and Energy will present in the next period a reward program for Municipalities that achieve specific recycling and reduced landfill targets, which will be added to the resources they will receive from the burial fee.
