Preserving the ancient past, one plastic bottle at a time

The Cyclone Project, spearheaded by the Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, has uncovered the staggering extent of pollution across Greece's archaeological sites and waterways.

Over seven months, the initiative removed 518 tons of waste from areas including the Acropolis of Mycenae and the Asopos River delta. Remarkably, 90% of the 684,014 collected items were non-recyclable.

The program builds on the foundation's Typhonas vessel's five-year track record of coastal cleanups.

Recent efforts expanded to inland sites, such as tholos tombs in Argolis and the Treasury of Atreus, where 15,397 kilograms of waste were collected. Foundation President Evi Lazou-Laskaridis highlighted the dual harm of litter to Greece's natural beauty and cultural identity, emphasizing Cyclone's aim to protect this heritage.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni praised the...