San Stefanos Online ~ North West Corfu
Welcome to San Stefanos (NW Corfu) => San Stefanos news and views => Topic started by: eildan on June 22, 2016, 08:46:07 AM
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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.
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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
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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.
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But they will be in even worse trouble if they lose tourist trade.....
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A friend of a friend has just got back from Agios Gordios and apparently there were no piles of rubbish there
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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
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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. :)
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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.
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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
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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. :)
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There is already separate paper/cardboard etc waste and general waste separation. This is a planning failure.
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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 ?
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Hi Jackie, thanks for giving us the view from your side of the fence. We're not just sad and disappointed for ourselves but for you and the other business owners/locals also. Hope it gets sorted soon (preferably before we come out there!)
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I thought it was the local residents who have closed it.
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Hi all, we have been here since tuesday and have noticed the areas around the bins getting fuller and fuller, its such a shame, some of the bags have been ripped open by animals and in some places its been spread about. We have seen in some areas where the locals have tried to cover up the rubbish to stop it spreading all over. To be fair though its not stopped us enjoying our selfs and it wont stop us from coming back.
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A few people were saying on FBook last night that it looks like it is getting sorted as they were collecting the rubbish in Avliotes
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From what we was told a few nights ago the landfill was closed on a 15 year contract.
A new site was readied but a housing development close by to the new site had an agreement it wouldn't be used.
Still enjoying our time here lovely food at the waves tonight beef with apricots prunes and carrot delicious
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I have just been told by one of our Greek neighbours that some bins between here and Avliotes have been emptied this morning. The lorry was full, so has to return, but hopefully this is the start....
We saw the remains of some fires this morning when driving in, so now people have taken it into their own hands to illegally burn it, hopefully the authorities will be getting it sorted out. We are all certainly hoping so!!!
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Any update on the Bins front?
With 33c temperatures those piles of rubbish must be getting a bit smelly by now!
Andy
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I've been following the situation on the Tripadvisor Corfu forum and one resident said yesterday that there was no evidence of any collections around Arillas and Sidari but Kassioppi was clear. Hopefully Jackie will bring us some good news though.
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I hear rumours of collections, someone even mentioned San Stef. Any word on the street?
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Well, it appears (according to a Corfu facebook page) that some bins are being emptied, in Acharavi, Kassiopi, and last night Roda and Corfu Town....not been out of the village other than to and from home in Dafni via Arillas and Kavadaddes, and sadly none have been emptied there or here :'(
It is a big problem, and we are all finding it not only so sad that this beautiful island is looking so bad, but also acutely embarrassing that visitors should have to suffer it too!
There has been talk in the village today of trying to do something here on a local basis to sort it out.....
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Indeed it is. The massive pile by Marias paper shop is only surpassed by the mountain of rancid trash by the tennis courts. With the beach not being maintained or cleaned very well the village is at risk this year of being badly perceived.
I'm worried as hell as we have two lots of friends coming for the first time this summer holiday. I'll be mortified it's like this then.
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Really not sounding good! This could have a bad effect on the resort.
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Hmmm, think I will give the beach a miss when we visit in July, it wasn't in a good state in June and by the sounds of it nothing has improved. :'(
At least it will be nice, clean and rubbish free at the Kapetanious pool. :D :D
Andy
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Happy to report that the pile of rubbish near to Maria's Supermarket was removed last night, must have been in the early hours as it was still there when we walked back to our villa after midnight. Still rubbish at the entry to the abandoned hotel on the main strip, hopefully this will be gone tonight.
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As I've been following the news about the rubbish I understand (to an extent) what is going on with that - but what is the excuse for the beach not being cleaned up????!
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Yes, me too. As I've said in other posts, I would have thought this was something that could be sorted. We are going out on Friday, I really hope this is not going to be an issue. This is our 12th visit and it seems to get worse each year. :(
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Happy to report that the pile of rubbish near to Maria's Supermarket was removed last night, must have been in the early hours as it was still there when we walked back to our villa after midnight. Still rubbish at the entry to the abandoned hotel on the main strip, hopefully this will be gone tonight.
That's great news! Many people will be pleased about that.
The backlog will take some time to clear but at least things are getting better and the authorities must have found somewhere to put the rubbish. I heard on a Greek website translated through Google that a new land fill site had been found 'in the mountains' probably an old quarry or something.
Anyway I am really pleased this is getting sorted and just in time for my next visit in July.
Please keep the reports coming as hopefully other piles of trash will be cleared.
Andy
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When we left yesterday Maria was trying to persuade everyone who was going home to take a bag of rubbish with them
maybe it worked!!
Seriously it really was getting bad,as the weather got hotter the smell got worse.Left any longer it could have proved to be a potential
health hazard,It doesn't take much imagination to realise the contents of some of those plastic bags (ref.the Corfu plumbing system)
As we drove in the taxi to the airport the situation was even worse,it's going to take a while to clear it all up.I hope they manage to get it done before the start of the school holidays.
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As has already been reported, the huge pile near Peli and Maria's was cleared last night, and I've been told the other huge pile opposite Aspa is going tonight.
The ongoing issue at the landfill site has not yet been resolved.....this has been organised on a local level. The rubbish is being taken away from the village and stored elsewhere until normal service resumes. As we've said, all the businesses have been pulling our hair out about this issue, and have found it accutely embarrassing. I'm not sure who is behind the organising of this, but a BIG BRAVO to whoever it is, and also to the people who are working through the night to remove it!
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Yes hippopts, it must be a nightmare for the locals and their businesses, they only have a short slot to make their living and this problem is the last thing they need..So a big thank you to whoever arranged or planned the removal of the rubbish..will gladley shake their hand/s and get the beers in..
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We have heard rubbish is being taken to the harbour road,and being covered by sand.my question is why has it taken so long,bravo to whoever is responsible though.
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Usually the wagons heading towards the harbour end are carrying the seaweed where they cover it with sand..I hear that the rubbish is being taken to the football pitch and dumpt there till problem is resolved..thats on the back road past rose garden to Avliotis..
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That wouldn't be a bad place to put it as it's out of the way of most properties, quite high up and should be easy to collect from and then clean up.
Fingers crossed they keep it up.
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That wouldn't be a bad place to put it as it's out of the way of most properties, quite high up and should be easy to collect from and then clean up.
That made me smile, reminded me of the referendom, everyone is happy as long as the rubbish isn't dumped on your doorstep :)
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Big thank you to all involved in this :) see you all tomorrow in San stef! 8)
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Currently spending a couple of weeks in Dassia and rubbish piles here too.
And Jimbo - I think the soup may actually be Waitrose hearty vegetable although agree with a lot of what you say
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Just travelled from Corfu Town to San Steph and No Rubbish! The authorities have done an amazing job clearing the back log and most bins are nearly empty.
In San Steph all the rubbish piles have gone like they never existed although I did notice several bins have been removed altogether.
Larry spotted on the beach clearing the sea weed as well so all looking good!
Andy
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Just to continue the theme of reassurance to those visiting in coming weeks....
Travelling around the island the rubbish clear up has progressed at a pace.
Just as well as I have not known such hot weather here st this time of the year