Most small islands around the world face the same problem: limited territory forces them to haul waste to overflowing landfills or transport it to the mainland, which is expensive and environmentally harmful. However, the Greek island of Tilos in the Aegean Sea chose a different path. As Euronews reports, Tilos has become the world's first island to receive the international 'Zero Waste Cities' certification, completely abandoning landfills.
Journalists visited the island to understand how this system works and whether such a model can be implemented in other regions of Europe and the world.
The end of the era of landfills and street bins
Previously, Tilos, like many other populated places, depended on garbage dumps and public containers. As part of the 'Just Go Zero' project, implemented by the Greek environmental company Polygreen, the island completely closed its landfill and removed all public garbage bins from the streets.
The basis of the new system became strict source separation of waste and its collection through a door-to-door system. Each household and local business received special sorting equipment, including branded blue bags for recyclables.
Innovations: QR codes and digital transparency
A key element of success was the integration of modern technologies. Each waste bag on Tilos is marked with a unique QR code. When collection service employees scan this code, they instantly record the weight and type of waste from a specific household right on the spot.
This data is transmitted to a special mobile application 'Just Go Zero'. Thanks to it, residents and entrepreneurs can track in real time how much waste they have produced, what part of it was recycled or composted, and set new goals for reducing their ecological footprint. Such transparency has turned waste disposal from a burdensome routine into a conscious and motivating process for the entire community.
What happens to the waste next?
The collected waste is delivered to a specially created 3K Circular Innovation Center. There, the waste undergoes additional deep sorting on modern equipment:
- organic waste is turned into high-quality compost;
- recyclables (plastic, glass, paper, metal) are sent for recycling;
- a small part of non-recyclable residues is used to produce alternative fuel for the cement industry, completely preventing it from ending up in a landfill.
Impressive results
The results of the system have exceeded the boldest expectations. To date, the waste recovery (recovery and recycling) rate on Tilos exceeds 85%. The island has not only solved its waste problem but has also become a benchmark for the 'green' transition in Greece, attracting conscious eco-tourists from around the world.
Can this be implemented elsewhere?
According to experts, the 'Just Go Zero' model is not a utopian idea but a well-thought-out engineering and social algorithm. The project's creators emphasize that this technical solution can be easily adapted to the needs of any populated area: whether it is another island, a large city, or an entire region.
The main conditions for successful scaling are:
- Political will and support from local authorities.
- Investment in infrastructure (sorting centers, specialized vehicle fleet).
- Engagement of residents, for whom the system must be as convenient as possible, and its results transparent.
The experience of Tilos clearly demonstrates that the concept of 'zero waste' is quite feasible in practice. This Greek island has proven that to get rid of the waste problem, one must not simply bury waste, but radically change the very system of attitude towards it.
