Burial fee under the spotlight

The Interior Ministry is set to return to the 2024 pricing policy for the "burial fee" on waste disposal, aiming to reduce the financial burden on municipalities.

A final decision is expected to be announced on Wednesday. At the start of the year, many municipalities in Attica faced a financial crisis following a new pricing policy by the Special Intermunicipal Association of Attica (EDSNA), which was implemented on December 27.

The 66 municipalities in the region were told they would need to pay 203 million euros in 2025 for burial fees on waste, covering 18 months, including the second half of 2024 and all of 2025. In comparison, they were required to pay 93 million euros in 2024.

For example, the City of Athens saw its fee rise from 18 million euros in 2024 to 30 million euros in 2025. The burial fee was imposed to push municipalities toward recycling...