The year 2005 has been very successful for Athens International Airport (AIA) in terms of recycling activity. AIA’s environmental programmes and the implementation of an incentive policy for all recyclables within the Airport area, led to the 14% increase of recycling, whereas, at the same time, AIA undertook environmental initiatives including recycling at the schools of the neighbouring area, in order to enhance environmental sensitivity in cooperation with the local educational community.

More specifically, in 2005:

• A total of 1,713 tonnes of paper, glass, aluminium and other metals, wood, plastic and tyres were recycled, an increase of 14% compared to the 1,504 tonnes recycled in 2004.
• In order to clean up the area around the Airport, AIA collected and sent for recycling 57 tonnes of abandoned vehicle tyres from the boundaries of the Airport with the Municipality of Spata.
• In the framework of its efforts to enhance environmental sensitivity and reduce waste production, Athens International Airport launched in November 2005 a Recycling Programme at the Municipality of Artemis schools. The programme includes paper and aluminium recycling at the Lyceum, High School, and the five Elementary Schools of the Municipality of Artemis, whereas the five Kindergartens of the area participate also in paper recycling. The Airport Company provides the schools with special containers for the collection of paper and aluminium, holds informative meetings with the pupils, and organises the transport and recycling of the collected materials, whereas, at the end of the school-year, schools will be rewarded for their efforts according to the volumes of recyclables collected. Besides the recyclables collected at school, pupils are also encouraged to bring along to school materials collected at home.

About AIA’s recycling programmes, Dr. Panagiotis Karamanos, Manager, Environmental Services, said: “We are very pleased with the increased recycling activity in 2005, as well as with the very good results of the recycling programme in the neighbouring community schools of Artemis. The programme progresses with great success, thanks to the very positive response of school directors and teachers, and the support of the Municipality of Artemis, but, above all, thanks to the children, who have embraced this initiative with great enthusiasm”.