The physico-chemical condition of the bay is marginal to generally moderate, from garbage and sewage that ends up in its waters
Up to 1000 kilos of garbage per day is collected during the six-hour cleaning of the Thermaikos gulf by the special floating anti-pollution vessel “Alkippi”, contributing to the improvement of the quality and visual condition of the coastal sea front of Thessaloniki.
Speaking to APE-MPE, the president and managing director of the management company of the vessel “North Aegean Slops”, Ilias Orfanidis, emphasizes this, pointing out that the physico-chemical condition of the bay has improved significantly, but is still generally characterized as moderate and by many borderline.
The boat carries out cleanings five times a week for six hours each time and “the amount of waste collected depends on the frequency of cleanings per week”, he notes and adds that “in the summer months, mainly due to the increased human activity in the coastal areas, around 800-1000 kg of garbage are collected daily”.
In terms of the types of floating waste collected, these range from plastic bottles, food scraps, pieces of wood and plastic, barrels and drums, dead algae and reeds, plastic bags, clothing and packaging scraps, food and drink cans, floating sludge, up to and including electric bicycles and electric skates.
What about the floating objects that are collected? All waste is disposed of according to the prescribed procedures depending on its type, in licensed recycling, utilization or disposal facilities, ensuring separate delivery and corresponding alternative management, as explained by Mr. Orfanidis. Thus, materials such as – among others – plastics, wood, styrofoam and algae, are promoted to special units and areas of proper management, in order to achieve 100% correct environmental practice.
The qualitative situation of Thermaikos gulf
Over time, the quality of the Thermaic Gulf has improved by limiting the spread of untreated sewage from settlements and facilities,but its physicochemical and visual dimension is generally average and by many borderline”emphasizes Mr. Orfanidis, and notes that the improvement is evident, among other things, from the number of blue flags awarded annually to the coasts of the Thermaic Gulf.
However, plastic and garbage, agricultural residues, and also illegal sewage discharges “continue to pollute and burden the ecological potential of the baynot only coming from our own regions, but also from abroad, through the cross-border river passages that end up in Thermaikos, such as Axios”, he clarifies.
According to him, seasonal phenomena, which are also enhanced by climate change, such as the overconcentration of phytoplankton and the appearance of red tides, “demonstrate the significant scope that the wider marine environment has for improving and upgrading the quality, as well as the services that offers”.
The characteristics of “Alkippi”
The vessel Alkippi NTH 1200, is a self-propelled and multi-purpose vessel, capable of collecting floating waste, sinking, recovering and towing a floating anti-pollution barrier, launching chemical dispersants, storing waste of at least 15m3 and removing oil and other pollutants from the surface of the sea products.
The boat has permanent crew composition of two people, due to the multiple functions it provides and in order to ensure the uninterrupted provision of services, as well as the readiness and immediate response to any emergency, “since an accidental event can also take place at times that will not be included in the defined cleaning schedule, and to its immediate treatment is requested”, as noted by the head of the management company.
It is recalled that the Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace, in collaboration with NORTH AEGEAN SLOPS AE, started in 2007 the innovative action to clean and protect the Thermaikos gulf from floating waste and oil spills, through the activation on a daily basis of a special anti-pollution vessel with the aim to have tangible and immediate results, and multiple benefits for the coastal and aesthetic environment of the area. Today, the operation of the boat is based on occasional sponsorships from private companies “the total amount of which sometimes falls short and sometimes barely covers the relevant operating costs, with our company voluntarily and socially undertaking the rest of the financing of the project, far from reasonable business profits and competition”, as Mr. Orfanidis points out.
Source: Skai
I have worked as a journalist for over 10 years, and my work has been featured on many different news websites. I am also an author, and my work has been published in several books. I specialize in opinion writing, and I often write about current events and controversial topics. I am a very well-rounded writer, and I have a lot of experience in different areas of journalism. I am a very hard worker, and I am always willing to put in the extra effort to get the job done.
