Hydra: An Island of Culture or of Uncontrolled Waste Dumping into the Sea?
For more than fifty years, the uncontrolled and illegal open-air landfill located just four kilometers from the picturesque waterfront of the town of Hydra has been feeding the adjacent stream with thousands of tons of plastic and other waste. This waste consequentially ends up in the marine ecosystems of the Saronic Gulf and further afar, causing irrevocable environmental damage. It is truly incomprehensible how an island of just 2,000 residents, which claims to be a beacon of culture and environmental responsibility, attracts 300,000 high-income visitors each year, hosts high-profile sustainability initiatives such as Blue Heritage Round Table Hydra and Blue Life Hydra, and enjoys resources beyond the reach of most other islands, can perceive its responsibility toward the marine environment in this way.
This situation vividly reflects many of the deep-rooted flaws of contemporary Greek reality, revealing the true cost of Hydra’s cultural activities, nouveau-riche attitudes, and the “runway” of superyachts and celebrities, who – whether unknowingly or through willful blindness – participate in a profound act of hubris against the sea, with the cost of the resulting fines ultimately being passed on to Greek citizens.
The extent and seriousness of the problem were recently documented by the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, which, following an on-site inspection of the island, filed a formal complaint with the Southern Aegean Environmental Inspection Authority.
The Illegal Landfill of Hydra: A Chronicle of Criminal Ineffectiveness
The enormous problem of Hydra’s illegal landfill is not new; it has been prevalent for many decades. Nevertheless, it remains unresolved, despite repeated commitments by the competent authorities (the Municipality, the District Authorities, the Ministry of Environment and Energy, etc.) for its definitive resolution.
Since 2015, all Greek taxpayers have been consistently paying, year after year, the fine imposed by the Court of Justice of the European Union for the continued operation of this illegal site, which allows for thousands of tons of waste to be irresponsibly channeled into the sea. While this issue has prevailed, governmental and municipal authorities have repeatedly and falsely claimed that the problem is being resolved since 2019. Despite these announcements and supposed efforts, tons of waste are still deposited in the illegal landfill and left to wreak havoc on marine environments. To this day, however, this absurd situation continues: in Hydra, at the end of each day, and at the end of every cultural initiative or event, lacking any alternative plan, tons of waste are deposited at the illegal landfill with the ultimate destination being the sea.
The tolerance by the competent authorities of the continued provocation of extensive marine pollution constitutes a clear violation of environmental legislation and of the fundamental principles of public health protection, through the continuation of criminal practices that lead to the discharge of thousands of tons of waste into the marine environment.Today, even though bureaucratic procedures appear to have finally been completed after many decades of effort, and a €20 million fund has been created for the construction of an integrated municipal waste management facility on the island, no concrete solution yet exists. The proposed facility will not begin operating for at least another two or three years – a time frame that appears to serve as an excuse for prolonging the problem.
Until then, will the daily dumping of tons of waste into the sea be allowed to continue? In a State where the law is explicit regarding environmental pollution, how is it possible that no institutional or judicial authority has been mobilized to enforce the immediate implementation of an interim solution that ensures that this transitional period does not continue the tolerance of irreversible environmental destruction in Hydra?
It is time for us to take a stand regarding uncontrolled marine pollution. The chronic inaction by both the state and citizens is now further reinforced by deliberate misdirection from various companies which have been named national polluters. These companies, together with some foundations, attempt to convince us that marine pollution can be tackled through communication strategies and green campaigns, while we know that this greenwashing will only allow the companies to continue their irresponsible practices.
Regarding the case of Hydra and similar environmental crimes that threaten marine life in Greece, the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation will continue to use every legal and institutional tool at its disposal to ultimately engage the competent authorities and civil society in the fight against marine pollution. Above all, the Institute hopes to inspire laws and institutions to function consistently and reliably to safeguard Greece’s seas for future generations.
