Thessaloniki: 50,000 gopes were recycled during the 86th TEF
The amount of cigarette butts recycled saved 350 cubic meters of water from contamination, while creating 12 kg of compost – Where are the bins in Thessaloniki.
A total of 50,000 I was exhausted recycled the Thessalonians the period during which the 86th TEFfrom the 10th to the 18th of September, in the specially configured bins at the entrances of the stands, as part of an action resulting from the collaboration of HELEXPO with the Cigarette circle.
A few days after the International Exhibition closed its curtain, it was time to collect and count the cigarette butts from the 30 bins that one could find in its premises, which proved that the more than 200,000 citizens of the Exhibition shouted. “gopa free” following the instructions of the Urban Non-Profit Society Cigarette Cycle which led and pioneers of the action. The Series now has them shipped to special cigarette butt recycling plants in France.
In fact, a significant number of the 30 bins have been converted to smart at the initiative of the International Center for Digital Transformation and Skills (DT&S), where with the help of modern equipment it provided real-time data on the fullness of the bins through the LoRaWAN network, a man who it fits. about 10,000 cigarette butts. There will be a lot of this at the Beyond 4.0 Exhibition that will be hosted at TIF from October 14 to 16, and specifically, in most of Cisco.
As he says in Voria.gr Cigarette Cycle’s communications officer, Ioanna Dandeliafrom the counting of the cigarette butts it emerged that of them 12 more fertilizers are produced, but also 350 cubic meters of fresh or salt water were saved from contamination. In fact, recycling also results in the amount of industrial plastic raw material that appears. Thus, from TIF citizens alone, 38 kg of raw material was created for use by industries. “A cigarette butt takes a full 15 years to decompose, while if it reaches the water horizon it can contaminate seven liters of water and also reach the food chain. Thus, it is very important that municipalities and businesses adopt this tactic,” she says.
“The program aims not only to raise public environmental awareness but also to remove as many cigarette butts as possible from open spaces,” he added. “Every year there are 20-30 billion cigarette butts in Greece. 60% are found on the beaches. It is the most common litter currently on Greek beaches, so it is very important to recycle,” he notes.
The bins will remain at the Exhibition premises, while in Thessaloniki there is already a bin at the Concert Hall, the Grand Hotel and also a smart bin at the Center for Digital Transformation and Digital Skills (DT&S) – Cisco, in the Slaughterhouses.
Already free in 25 municipalities nationwide
In fact, TIF citizens were able to learn about the action and the importance of recycling trash at the special green info point that was located inside the Exhibition and distributed individual bamboo and cork ashtrays, as a means of raising awareness. A total of 10,000 such ashtrays were distributed to smokers and non-smokers.
From the beginning of the establishment of the company in 2019 until today, 25 municipalities from all over Greece and 50 businesses cooperate with Cigarette Cycle. “The municipality of Thessaloniki is a municipality that we are very interested in collaborating and creating this logic in the world, as with the right mapping, miracles can be done. After all, it is also a municipality with an important environmental footprint”, says Ms. Dandelia.
“Our goal as Cigarette Cycle is in the next two to three years to proceed with the composting of cigarette butts and gradually to proceed with the detoxification of the filter, a move that is very important for the environment,” she emphasizes.