Athens News Agency: News in English, 07-06-07

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] PM, environment/public works miniser visit sewage treatment plant at Psyttalia

[01] PM, environment/public works miniser visit sewage treatment plant at Psyttalia

The prime minister stressed that, with the Psyttalia drying plant, the sewage sludge management problem is being solved in the most appropriate, scientific way. Sewage sludge produced from waste collected from all over the Attika basin had accumulated in Psyttalia because the sewage treatment facilities did not include a drying plant, he stated, adding that the government has met its commitment to solve the problem within just three years.

Referring to environmental protection issues, the prime minister stressed that the environment is a major challenge the present generation is being called on to tackle with a sense of responsibility, realizing the gravity of the situation.

The efforts aimed at protecting the environment should be a 365-day-a-year effort and not be limited to empty words and statements on each World Environment Day, stressed Karamanlis. Environmental planning and government action aim at protecting biodiversity, rational management of water resources, promotion of renewable energy sources and environmentally-friendly management of waste, he added.

On his part, Souflias stressed that a 15-year-long problem for the people of Attika and the neighboring municipalities has been solved. Back in 2004, the government inherited an unacceptable and dead-end situation with a daily production of 500 tons of sewage sludge, 150 thousand tons of accumulated sewage sludge, no chance of transporting it elsewhere and no drying plant, he stressed.

An ecological disaster in the Saronic Gulf has been averted, said Souflias, adding that the permanent solution to the problem became a priority for the ministry of environment. He also referred to projects materialized in the past three years aimed at harmonizing Greece with the relevant EU legislation.

The trial operation of the plant was launched on June 1. Initially, only two of the four drying lines will be in operation and by the end of June they will be processing 500 tons of sewage sludge daily, equal to the daily production of sewage sludge in the region of Attika.

The other two drying lines will be put in operation in early July, raising the plant�s sewage sludge drying capacity to over 750 tons daily, while the goal set for the next 6 months is to permanently solve the problem of the 150 thousand tons of accumulated sewage sludge.

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