Landfill in Athens and Save Food initiatives in the UK

An ugly face of Europe not normally seen or expected, and lives lived and lives lost in ways that beggar belief in the developed Western world – BBC Television documentary maker Simon Reeve unforgivingly showed in a recently-aired film the realities of Greece today, which he concludes result from ‘shambolic’ government administration. The city of Athens, he reports, has had its budget slashed by 40% in five years and essential services are crumbling. “A symbol of the rotten state of the Greek establishment,” is an infamous local landmark – one of the largest landfill sites in the world. “The scale of the place is extraordinary. It covers square miles!” we hear Reeve exclaim. BBC film-maker Simon Reevediscovers the uglier face of Greece Said to be half a kilometre deep, 6,000 tonnes of rubbish arrive there every day. We learn that Greece has one of the lowest recycling rates in Europe; 80% of waste is sent to landfill, double the EU average. Under the wheels of lorries the ground ‘bounces’ because it’s not earth but compacted…

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