The current situation with the Green Points network presents significant operational problems and challenges that directly affect the daily life and accessibility of citizens.
The most important problems recorded are the incomplete geographical coverage and long distances, since the non-completion of the initial design of the network leaves a significant number of local authorities without direct access to a fixed Green Point. As a result, citizens in many areas still face the obstacle of long distances for transporting their waste.
The main "thorns" that hinder the proper management of waste in all provinces are recorded through the available data and the information received by the Department of Environment from the Provincial Self-Government Organizations (EOA) and the provincial Exploitation Councils.
The main challenges concern the incomplete geographical coverage of the network, the limited availability of licensed facilities for certain waste streams, the problems in the operation of temporary Green Points and the need to strengthen the monitoring of their operation.
The completion of the revised Strategic Plan and the promotion of the new Green Points, small Green Points and Green Kiosks are key tools to improve the geographical coverage and accessibility of citizens to separate collection infrastructures.
In particular, the non-completion of the original planning forces citizens to travel long distances, intensifying the phenomenon of illegal dumping in the countryside.
The need to further densify the network becomes even more urgent, especially after the recent incidents of fires and the need to remove and properly manage waste from illegal deposits and landfills in the countryside. The development of Green Kiosks and small Green Points is expected to contribute to strengthening the geographical coverage of the network and improving citizens' access to separate collection points.
The revision of the Strategic Plan (Phase B) by the Department of Environment is expected to be completed at the end of 2026. At the same time, in the context of the submission of the revised Strategic Plan to the Council of Ministers, it will be examined and decided whether the state will undertake to cover the construction costs of the new Green Points.
A limited number of licensed units for bulky and green waste are recorded, which skyrockets the cost of delivery. In several provinces there are insufficient licensed facilities or bodies to manage specific waste streams, such as polystyrene, insulation materials and some recyclable materials.
This creates practical problems in the operation of the green points and makes it difficult to manage the waste received in an integrated manner. Licensed units suspend their operation for up to a month in the summer, causing suffocation and accumulation of waste at the Green Points.
At the same time, for bulky and green waste, there is a limited number of management options available (almost monopolistic situation), which leads to increased delivery costs and creates technical and procedural problems. The development of new reception and management units for specific streams is influenced, inter alia, by market conditions, high investment costs and licensing requirements.
Additional operational difficulty arises during the summer season, when some licensed entities or facilities suspend their operation for an extended period of time (in some cases up to a month). As a result, the possibility of removing specific streams from the Green Points is limited or temporarily interrupted, with the risk of waste accumulation and the capture of available capacity.
At this stage, there are no immediately applicable actions to substantially improve the current situation. The further maturation of state planning is required, so that specific and applicable interventions can emerge.
In addition, municipalities operate temporary points outside the statutory network (e.g. Agios Dometios, Kaimakli), imposing their own charges. The Department of the Environment is considering either their integration into the official network or their phasing-out.
The Green Points serve exclusively citizens and the delivery of waste is free of charge. It is noted that professionals are not served by the green points for any of the accepted waste streams. According to Mr. Konstantinou, after the EOAs take over the operation of the green points, the possibility of making it possible, under certain conditions, to receive waste from professionals, for a relevant fee, is being considered. This possibility could contribute to the better utilization of the infrastructure and to the strengthening of the economic viability of the operation of the Green Points, provided that the required infrastructure, procedures and regulations are ensured.
The smooth operation of the Green Points depends to a significant extent on the availability of suitable vehicles for the timely removal and transport of the various waste streams. Breakdowns or a limited number of available vehicles can lead to delays in the emptying of containers, accumulation of waste and difficulty in the proper functioning of Green Points.
At the same time, the geographical dispersion of Green Kiosks and Small Green Points, especially in remote areas, is expected to increase the requirements on vehicles, staff and routes for the regular evacuation and transport of collected waste.
