The ECOTOWN project officially started with its Kick-off Meeting, held at the historic Palazzo Marchesale Castriota in Melpignano. The event marked the beginning of a shared journey, bringing together a cross-border partnership composed of the Municipality of Melpignano (Italy, Lead Partner), the Municipality of San Cosmo Albanese (Italy), the Municipality of Lefkada (Greece) and the Municipality of Central Corfu & Diapontia Islands (Greece).
During the meeting, project partners outlined the roadmap that will guide ECOTOWN in introducing innovative waste management solutions across the participating territories. The project focuses on reducing landfill dependency, improving recycling performance, and supporting local administrations in transitioning toward a more efficient and transparent waste collection system.
During the Kick-off Meeting, the Mayor of Melpignano, Valentina Avvantaggiato, expressed the municipality’s strong commitment to the goals of ECOTOWN, stating that it is a concrete opportunity to strengthen Municipalitiy’s commitment to a more modern, responsible and efficient waste management system. With the introduction of punctual collection and the PAYT model, Melpignano can become a replicable example of circular economy. The Mayor is proud that the Municipality of Melpignano leads an international partnership that shares a common vision and that will work together to increase separate collection, reduce waste and build more sustainable communities.
The Kick-off Meeting highlighted also the shared commitment of all partners to work collaboratively on enhancing the efficiency of local waste services. Training sessions, stakeholder workshops, awareness campaigns, and technical studies will accompany the piloting phase, ensuring that the tested solutions can be replicated and scaled across the region.
