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

Sixth Expert User Group Meeting

Athens, 19.07.2012

Pol - PRIMETT

Tackling metal Theft

Ministry for the Environment, Energy & Climate Change

Special Secretariat for the Environment & Energy Inspectorate

Margarita Karavasili Special Secretary

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

To protect the environment and public health

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 high-

voltage 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 slum The Green Point

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!