Athens Hotels Participating in Biowaste Program to Get Special Label

Photo source: Athens Municipality.

The Municipality of Athens and the Athens – Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association (EXAAA) announced this week the launch of a new label to be awarded to hotels participating in the city’s biowaste collection program.

The participating hotels will now be recognized for their contribution to transforming Athens into a “green city” with the special seal, presented this week by Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis.

“The city’s biowaste management program carried out in collaboration with EXAAA is aimed at making Athens a more sustainable city for its residents and visitors,” said Bakoyannis.

Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis. Photo source: Athens Municipality.

The mayor went on to add that priorities in the upcoming period include increasing the number of recycling actions and expanding the network of biowaste bins (brown) across the city.

“We have already gone a long way in terms of circular economy but more needs to be done. The climate crisis is here and we cannot be left behind,” he added.

Addressing the press, Deputy Athens Mayor Responsible for Cleanliness and Recycling Nikos Avramidis said 54 hotels in the Greek capital were participating in the program, which was already producing results.

Athens – Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association President Lambrini Karanasiou-Zoulovits. Photo source: Athens Municipality.

Athens – Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association President Lambrini Karanasiou-Zoulovits said the association members welcomed the new label as it was the first time their environmental efforts were being acknowledged.

“Since 2020 and the launch of the program, Athens and Attica hotels have embraced it with many planning more complex and groundbreaking actions,” said Karanasiou-Zoulovits, underlining however that awareness and full participation even by the smallest facilities was vital to the success of the effort.

Lastly, citing studies carried out by the EXAAA in collaboration with and GBR Consulting, The Athens’ hotel’s associations secretary general and VP of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (HHF), Evgenios Vassilikos, said it was crucial to “identify the type and volume of waste produced by each enterprise and to apply modern practices for the protection of the natural and cultural environment and to ensure that businesses and citizens adapt and abide by European legislation”.

Photo source: Athens Municipality.

Over the last years, the Athens Municipality has launched dozens of actions to improve city life as part of its urban regeneration program.

It should also be noted that hotels in Greece have repeatedly been awarded high satisfaction scores for cleanliness.