ENVIRONMENT

Green Points are an internationally recognised practice for effective waste management, contributing substantially to the promotion of recycling and the reuse of special material streams. As an island municipality, Milos faced significant challenges in managing special and bulky waste due to limited separate collection capabilities and increased transportation and disposal costs.
In response to these challenges, the Green Point of the Municipality of Milos was developed as the first organised island facility of its kind in the country, introducing a comprehensive waste management model tailored to island environments.
It is a specially designed and fully equipped space created to serve the entire island. This initiative is a collaboration between the Municipality of Milos, the construction and operating company N&K Goliopoulos S.A., and the consulting firm EPTA Environmental Consultants Engineers S.A.
The model and innovative features of the initiative include:

• The operation of the 1st organized island Green Point facility in the country.
• The management of 11 categories / 25 different material streams in a single, unified space.
• The capacity to reuse 2 material categories (small and bulky household items).
• The systematic recording of material quantities and quality characteristics.
• A site organisation methodology, utilising standard procedures for the receipt, storage, and transfer of materials to final licensed recipients.

The project was constructed within a plot leased to the Municipality with a total area of 13,639.82 m², specifically occupying a space of 2,534.20 m² in its eastern section.
The Green Point of the Municipality of Milos manages 11 categories – 25 materials (streams):

• Printed paper, cardboard, paper packaging & books
• Plastic bottles (PET), caps & other plastic packaging
• Bulky metal objects (scrap), aluminium packaging & other metal packaging
• Glass, glass packaging & other glass materials
• Small & large waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), as well as light bulbs
• Lead vehicle accumulators & other batteries
• Biodegradable garden & park waste, as well as wood materials
• Small quantities of waste from minor repairs & building maintenance (Construction and Demolition Waste - CDW)
• Bulky household items (furniture, mattresses, carpets, bicycles, toys, etc.)
• Small household items (clothes, shoes, CDs, toys, inks, office supplies, tools, etc.)
• Edible oils

These materials are directed either toward recycling or reuse, contributing to the implementation of circular economy principles, sustainable waste management and the achievement of national and European recycling targets.
The infrastructure features collection and storage equipment, a metal canopy, a recycling press for paper, cardboard and plastic, a shredder for bulky items, a small loader for internal transit, a weighbridge, as well as firefighting, lighting, security, and staff service infrastructure. The facility's operation is supported by an organised tracking system for incoming and outgoing materials, which enhances efficiency, transparency, and the potential for continuous improvement.
Citizens enter with their vehicles and are directed to the specially designed unloading areas. The deposition of materials takes place in appropriate bins or within the covered area, with staff assistance provided where necessary.
As part of the Green Point's construction, 2 Recycling Kiosks (RΚ) were installed at two public gathering points on the island. These operate complementary to the Green Point, creating an integrated waste management network.
The Municipality of Milos coordinated the entire initiative, securing the necessary land and the project's funding from the previous NSRF 2014-2020 program.
EPTA Environmental Consultants Engineers S.Aα designed and permitted the project and the 2 Recycling Kiosks, using exemplary methods and a Cycladic aesthetic (such as stone cladding on the facility's building). Today, they support environmental awareness actions on the island, including school recycling programs and information campaigns launching within the new school year.
The construction and operation of the Green Point are carried out by N&K Goliopoulos S.A., which is responsible for the high-quality construction materials and techniques, as well as the implementation of site organisation methods with standard procedures for the receipt, storage and transfer of materials to final licensed recipients.