Modern waste system aligns with EU standards in Greece

Until recently, the Peloponnese had little waste management infrastructure. Most waste went untreated waste and ended in dumpsites, polluting the environment and causing health risks.

Before the new system was introduced, an estimated 90% of municipal waste was being disposed of in non-sanitary sites without any treatment.

The region had just one sanitary landfill, 21 dumps and four sorting plants that relied mainly on manual sorting, leaving many residues.

To address these issues, the Peloponnese region started to build an integrated waste management system. This system includes three integrated waste management centres in Arkadia, Messinia, Lakonia and two transfer stations in Argolida and Corinthia. Together, they form the backbone of a new regional plan for the separate collection of waste streams.

The  system is designed to treat, recover and recycle waste efficiently, produce compost for agricultural use and generate energy from biogas.

EIB Advisory experts supported the project from the start, providing guidance on project demand, technical options, financial and risk analysis, climate adaptation and State aid compliance.

This support included:

• assessing various options for the organisation, location and technologies of the waste management centres to ensure efficiency and effectiveness,
• providing climate change guidance to ensure the project meets EU standards and can adapt to future climate threats,
• supporting the preparation of the project documentation by reviewing technical, financial and economic analyses, assessing risks and providing advice throughout the project lifecycle.

The investment totals more than €125 million and is implemented under a public-private partnership. With expert advice by the EIB under the JASPERS initiative, the project secured a €65 million grant from the EU cohesion fund in April 2025. The remaining financing comes from private investors and national public sources.