Rubbish bins

[eildan]

Just returned from San Stefano, how sad to see the state of the bins,the main road is a disgrace,if this was my first visit instead of twenty nine years I doubt I would return. The beach is a disgrace ,the bridge hasn't been put back after the storm.Come on residents and businessmen pull together you could lose your livelihood.Very sad.

[Teamnickos]

Very sad to read your post (and all the posts on FBook). I just don't understand why the villagers would/could let this happen

[swedebasher]

No one has any money for this since Mrs Merkel trod on them. The latest saw pensions reduced to 380 euros or so. People are barely living and councils are similarly strapped.

[Teamnickos]

But they will be in even worse trouble if they lose tourist trade.....

[Teamnickos]

A friend of a friend has just got back from Agios Gordios and apparently there were no piles of rubbish there

[Richard/Jackie/Nathan]

On the drive to the airport on Monday there were piles of rubbish everywhere and they were really big in Corfu Town so don't think is a problem unique to SS!

[swedebasher]

Quite correct. I did hear that if you pay, then you can get it removed. This will not stop us going I have to say, they need us now more than ever.

[DougR]

If this is island wide then I shudder to think what Corfu town must smell like! Does anyone know the cause of the problem? Last year there was a strike but that problem was reolved fairly quickly. This seems to be going on a lot longer so surely someone on the island's governing body must be sitting up and noticing the smell.

[Googleberry1811]

This makes me so sad!! I'm not able to go to San Stef this year but my mum is there at the moment and said it is quite grim down the main road through the village. It would be such a shame if people were visiting for the first time this year and were put off by this. I'm wanting to take my new partner there next year and he isn't really one for returning to a place once visited but I'm hoping I can persuade him otherwise as I grew up having my holidays in San Stef, and after 25 years of visiting can't bear to think that I would never return! Hopefully the locals will club together and tidy the place up soon

[Karen]

Fully agree with all comments.  We found this when we were last there and were very disappointed to see the state of the bins and I too would think this would put off new people to San Stef, returning.  We appreciate the problem with cash strapped councils,but can the locals and business owners do anything themselves, to alleviate the problem, if only to keep tourists returning?  I posted a few weeks ago about the state of the beach down the cliffs end.  This is a problem every year and we don't think it would take too much to tidy up a bit. No it would not stop us returning, as we love the place, it would just make it a more pleasant holiday for us all.

[hippopots]

With regards to the overflowing rubbish bins, yes this is a BIG problem, and trust me, all of us business owners in San Stef (and people all over the island) are pulling our hair out about it. It is an island wide problem, and not just here.

It's a consequence of the landfill being full and the people living close to it protesting, so it has been closed ( I believe by the mayor of Corfu), so there is nowhere for it to be taken. 

If there was something that we could do about it locally, we would, but there appears to be no solution......as there is nowhere for it to go, we can't club together to pay for its removal, and it cannot be burned, as between May and Oct it is illegal to start a bonfire, due to the risk of wildfires.

We're all desparate for it to be resolved ASAP, and are hoping a solution will be found, and quickly!

In the meantime, we all fully understand that holidaymakers are not happy about it (as neither are we!!), and just hope that you will all try look beyond it and enjoy the unique hospitality that you receive here in San Stefanos.

[Andy7]

I was in SS last week and the situation is desperate as it is across the whole Island including Corfu Town, it's only a matter of time before the UK press get hold of the story and run it which would be very bad for the Islands tourist season. Hippo pots is right, it's because of the closure of the land fill site in the south of Corfu although it seems crazy to do that and spread the problem across the entire island!

Let's hope common sense prevails but with the summer heatwaves coming the situation could become very serious and will pose a genuine health risk.

It's all so very, very sad

Andy

[HKsuey]

I agree and now the problem is too big for individuals to tackle but the bins were bad last year too. Could not locals form a taskforce to regularly clean the beach - this would make such a difference and maybe some sort of unoffical recycling. Cardboard, plastic and glass sorted separately and kept to the side of the bins and the dumpsters kept for loo waste, food and smelly stuff etc.  San stef is such a lovely place in a wonderful country where we have had many happy holidays but things like this must be doing so much damage to the enviroment and the reputation. It seems to be show a lack of respect and care for the area from which a lot of people make a living even though this  is not intended. Hopefully there will soon be a solution to the current crisis and people can enjoy their holidays.

[Jimbo]

There is already separate paper/cardboard etc waste and general waste separation. This is a planning failure.

[Rover]

It is a planning failure on a grand scale Jimbo. The situation was bad in mid June, and parts of Sidari had very large areas stacked with rubbish. There will be health issues if nothing is done. How can a governing body just close the landfill and make no alternative arrangements ?