After breaking EU waste rules, the Greek government has been ordered to pay €10m and another €30,000 per each day of not respecting waste management regulations

According to a report issued as long as 15 years ago, Greece cannot control 80% of its waste, which ends up landfilling the countryside.

As stated by the European Court of Justice, the country officials failed to meet the deadlines imposed for changing the situation, risking to harm both human and environmental health.

Moreover, the Greek government has an external debt that exceeds €300bn, from which up to €86bn can be bailout if ministers apply a series of political reforms. Despite the country officials’ efforts, the EU representatives reported that they were not satisfied with the progress of Greece, as it is slow and incomplete.

Back in 2009, the ECJ has ordered Greece to address and solve its waste management problem and during 2013 it took further action with the sanction as the country failed to carry out the new waste regulations.

The court has currently forced Greece to pay a €10m fine and €30,000 a day penalties, as due to its illegal garbage disposal policy “it is liable to directly endanger human health and to harm the environment”.