Roxani Bei, the Deputy Mayor of Cleanliness and Recycling for Athens and current acting Mayor, has revealed plans to create a Municipal Cleanliness Police.
The new unit will be tasked with upholding the city's cleanliness standards and ensuring adherence to waste collection schedules.
Ms. Bei stressed that the Municipal Cleanliness Police will take an advisory, rather than punitive, approach.
Their primary role will be to educate and guide residents and businesses on proper waste management practices, rather than resorting to fines.
In a recent interview, Ms. Bei also addressed the ongoing understaffing issues within the city's sanitation department.
She highlighted the immense pressure faced by the department due to the capital's constant growth, with roughly 12 daily garbage collection rounds required just within the commercial center.
Ms. Bei expressed confidence in the city's future plans for waste management.
"By this fall, the sanitation department will be restructured and additional staff will be hired," she stated. "I'm optimistic that with a focused strategy for waste management, Athens will see a significant improvement in its cleanliness."