An ambitious plan for sustainable waste management on 16 islands of the South Aegean is currently underway, with the know-how of the pioneering “Just Go Zero” program of Tilos as its cornerstone.
As revealed by the Governor of the South Aegean, Mr. Giorgos Hadjimarkos, at an information meeting with journalists in Rhodes, on the occasion of the Conference of the Regional Council of Greece and the Region “Paving the Way for a Sustainable Tomorrow” which took place on the island on May 27, the Region of the South Aegean is working with the government on a sustainability plan for small islands of the Cyclades and the Dodecanese.
Some of the islands where the “Just Go Zero” actions of Tilos will be implemented are Kastelorizo and small Cycladic islands such as Koufonissi, Iraklia, Donoussa, Folegandros and Sikinos.
The program will be financed by the Green Fund and, according to Mr. Hadjimarkos, once the “green light” is given, the Region will be able to implement it within a year. In fact, as the Regional Governor mentioned, its implementation is being considered in other, small, mountainous municipalities of the mainland.
One of the main arguments in favor of the program is the unbearable cost of waste collection on the small islands, which reaches 580 euros per ton, making the current model economically unprofitable.
At the same time, in Rhodes, the Region is planning the creation of two “closed” areas: A relevant study is being completed to implement “zero” rules for catering (restaurants and bars) bio-waste in the Medieval City, while Lindos will follow.
Furthermore, in June, the Astypalaia electric mobility project is expected to be expanded to a larger island in the South Aegean.
The ambitious initiatives of the South Aegean Region to transform its islands into global “green transition” models have led to the implementation of innovative sustainability projects with tangible results in Tilos, Halki, Astypalaia, and Rhodes, focusing on ecological mobility, zero carbon emissions, and the circular economy.
- In Astypalaia, as part of a mobility on demand project in collaboration with Volkswagen, the astyMOVE application offers green mobility with electric vehicles. The aim is, as a product of the collaboration with Volkswagen, to start the first driverless vehicle routes within the next 1.5 to 2 years. As a result of the project, the island has already gained great international fame.
- Halki became the first Greek island, as part of an ambitious program with European funding of 168 million euros. The island was transformed into an international model of “green” economy, energy autonomy, and innovation through the cooperation of Greek and French businesses. The action included the installation of photovoltaic systems for the production of clean energy from renewable sources, to cover the energy needs of the island.
This resulted in local family businesses benefiting up to 10,000 euros per year in energy bills due to its surplus production on the island, while individuals saw an annual benefit of between 800 and 4,000 euros, according to Mr. Hadjimarkos.
- In Tilos, with the “Just Go Zero” model, the old landfill was closed and transformed into a visitor attraction, while in the last three years not a single kilo of garbage has been buried on the island.
Waste is collected directly from homes and businesses, separated into three distinct bags for organic, recyclable and non-recyclable materials. The final sorting is done centrally, preventing citizens from making mistakes.
The results are impressive: in households, the recycling rate is consistently above 80% every month, reaching 88% in March 2025. In businesses, this rate consistently exceeds 90%.
Organic materials are converted into fertilizer and distributed free of charge to residents in 5-liter packages.
Tilos’ know-how is even being transferred to Abu Dhabi, where a similar project has been launched with 40,000 households, as the Governor reported.
- Rhodes hosts the most ambitious and holistic sustainability program in Greece, the five-year Rhodes Co-Lab, with TUI, Europe’s largest tourism organization, as a strategic partner. On an island that hosts up to 600,000 people every August and has 14% of the country’s tourist beds, the challenge is enormous and the goal is clear: to gradually transform into a model of sustainability at all levels.
The program’s objectives are to achieve tangible results within five years in terms of upgrading human resources and their skills, biodiversity, waste management, electromobility, and gastronomy (Aegean cuisine).
The Rhodes project includes 117 stakeholders, and for this purpose, discussions have been held with the municipality, all professional organizations, all scientific bodies and associations, the labor center, and the island’s workers’ unions.
The actions are decided within the framework of a broad process, with more recent examples being the tendering of a large waste plant and the studies for the first green and autonomous water production plant.
In addition, as part of an initiative that began 16 months ago, 30,500 composters are being received to be distributed to 30,000 households in order to train the population in organic waste management.
After Rhodes, the goal is to expand composting to other islands, with the ambition of reaching 140,000 of the 300,000 residents of the Region.
At the same time, as Mr. Hadjimarkos mentioned, in collaboration with the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH), Rhodes Co-Lab has already completed the preparation of the program’s sustainability label. The official announcement is expected once the HCH work is completed, as the Rhodes initiative aspires to be the first in Greece to adopt and implement the new sustainability label, fully integrating it into its actions.
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