Green Metal Recycling Point : A pilot Program to combat cables’ insulation burning

Pol - PRIMETT Tackling metal Theft

Sixth Expert User Group Meeting Athens, 19.07.2012

Green Metal Recycling Point : A pilot Program to combat cables’ insulation burning To protect the environment and public health

Ministry for the Environment, Energy & Climate Change Special Secretariat for the Environment & Energy Inspectorate Margarita Karavasili Special Secretary

Metal theft Harms Caused by Scrap Metal Theft Factors Contributing to Scrap Metal Theft The Metals’ Market

Cables’ insulation burning

Metal theft • Stealing valuable metal has become a serious concern for

• the police, • businesses, • public utilities,

• railroad companies, • and the community at large • The metals most commonly stolen are copper, aluminium, brass and bronze

• Metal theft usually increases when worldwide prices for scrap metal rise

Metal theft

Metal theft

Harms Caused by Scrap Metal Theft • Economic consequences for scrap metal theft within utilities are immense.

• The cost of repairing damaged transformers or substations can run anywhere from $500,000 to $11 million.

• Damaged power equipment resulting from scrap metal theft also poses significant risk to utility repair teams as well as offenders.

• Petty-metal thieves, deciding to steal metal/copper from highvoltage substations, transformers, or electric high wires, may be electrocuted, while trying to cut live wires.

Factors Contributing to Scrap Metal Theft • A combination of high demand for metal on the international market, increased opportunities for offenders to target places and metal types not previously susceptible to theft, and weak regulation of the metals resale market have coincided to increase the scrap metal theft problem.

The Metals’ Market • The rise in scrap metal theft is driven by offenders' recognition that ample metal supplies remain unguarded, and that the price of return remains historically high based on heavy international demand.

• The metal market conditions made unsecured metal susceptible to increased theft, while causing a boom in scrap metal exports that increased the scrap metal theft problem.

Cables’ insulation burning …

… Sell the copper core for cash.

BURNING CABLES’ INSULATION …

IN ORDER TO RETRIEVE METAL… CAUSES …

• Production of smoke • Production of a group of toxic chemicals, called dioxins.

• Residents’ complaints about breathing the fumes (but the dumps were never cleaned up).

• Dioxins once formed do not degrade or become diluted in the soil…

• …this becoming afterwards a hazardous waste • Scorched earth contaminated with toxic chemicals.

• Charge of illegally depositing controlled waste • Danger to the people's health

POVERTY FORCES ROMA PEOPLE TO SCAVENGE TOXIC E-WASTE • Persecuted Roma communities are being forced to scavenge for dangerous e-waste, potentially threatening health and questioning the country's recycling policies

30.000 ROMA live actually in the greater Athens region

Roma people living in slums on the fringes of Athens

Taking advantage of ineffective waste recycling schemes

Roma people living in slum

ROMA LIVING IN ATHENS / VOTANIKOS REGION

Since 10 years, the residents of the Tavros Municipality are protesting to the local government for toxic pollution provided by Votanikos ROMA slum, caused by cables’ insulation burning‌ They demand to protect environment and public health

THE REACTION OF THE MINISTRY

Actions taken by the Special Secretariat

A collective work in collaboration with all related responsible bodies

A Road Map Actions

Timetable Social Consensus

Stop cables burning Control metal theft Protect the environment and public health Offer a real job Support recycling Integrate Roma people in the society

Social integration of ROMA children

A pilot program for Votanikos ROMA people

Establishment of a Recycling Green Point in close collaboration with:

•

local Authorities,

•

citizens,

•

Roma people,

•

industry,

•

ministies,

•

inspectors,

•

police,

•

NGO,

•

etc

A long discussion in the Municipal Council and a positive decision has been taken‌

The «Green Point» for metal recycling to be used by ROMA people living in the Votanikos area

The Green Point

The slum

The Green Point

The Green Point

«Green Point» for metal recycling in Europe

«Green Point» for metal recycling in Europe

ENFORCE INSPECTIONS HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTORATE CONTROLS

Inside the slum together with Public Health Inspectorate

A picture… is worth a thousand words …

HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTORATE CONTROLS

Checking illegal scraps

A picture… is worth a thousand words …

A picture… is worth a thousand words …

A picture… is worth a thousand words …

A picture… is worth a thousand words …

A picture… is worth a thousand words …

A picture… is worth a thousand words …

Thank you for your attention!