Beach Clean-Up & Mural Painting
Dim. Vikelas Sports Centre – Lazareta Marina
On Wednesday, 11 August 2021, the Environmental Quality Observatory of Syros and the Stray Art Festival 2021 organised a collective action combining mural painting and a beach clean-up from the Dim. Vikelas Sports Centre to the entrance of Lazareta Marina.
The sheer volume of rubbish we encountered shocked even us. While we couldn’t collect everything, we removed over 40 large bags of waste, giving the area a chance to “breathe” once more.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our volunteers, who gave their all to achieve this result. We also thank Deputy Mayor for Cleanliness, Mr. Petros Motos, for supporting our efforts in this initiative, as well as Giannis Maragos, the refuse lorry driver who collected the bags.
We could end this press release here—simply commending our volunteer work and expressing gratitude to all involved. However, one of the statutory objectives of the Observatory is to identify and highlight issues concerning environmental protection and public health.
In this particular area, there is severe environmental pollution from waste and plastics, posing an immediate risk to public health—a problem that no competent authority has addressed for many years.
At the parking area, the recycling and waste bins—positioned towards the sea and unprotected from weather conditions—are the primary source of litter dispersion. We propose the following measures:
- Relocating the bins as far from the sea as possible.
- Emptying the bins at least twice daily, and three times during peak tourist season.
- Regular clean-ups by the responsible services to prevent waste accumulation, which—depending on wind conditions—ends up in the sea or scattered across the wider area.
- Clear signage prohibiting littering, reminding everyone of their obligation to respect public spaces and the environment.
Towards Lazareta, the stagnant waters and endless plastic waste in the area where the ducks gather are a breeding ground for pollution. Immediate intervention by the authorities is required to clear the rubbish, remove the motorcycle submerged in the sea, and tow away any other abandoned vehicles.
A similar issue exists at the marina entrance, where countless plastic waste items have accumulated.
It is imperative that the competent authorities develop a serious plan for cleaning these areas and implementing preventive measures to ensure such problems do not persist. We declare in advance that the authorities will find us ready to support their efforts in this direction.
Below are some indicative photos from the action.
