Trade in your old car - Greece scrappage scheme

UPDATE 3rd November 2009 The new PASOK government have now scrapped the scrappage scheme.
Finance and Environment Ministers announced abolition of car withdrawal measure underlining the huge fiscal cost for the state budget, the limited benefit for the environment and minimum boost of the country’s productivity as it does not have a car industry.

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About 29,000 car owners have traded in their vehicles in the past two weeks to benefit from a government scrappage scheme, offering cash for the withdrawal of old cars from the roads, according to an industry body. The figure is higher than expected, falling just short of the 30,000 cars taken to scrapyards in the first nine months of this year, before the launch of the scheme, according to the Alternative Vehicle Management of Greece (EDOE), the organization which certifies the centers that accept vehicles for recycling


Scrapyards across the country currently report being overwhelmed, with between 1,000 and 1,500 old vehicles being handed over every day. Car owners, who should expect to wait anything from 30 minutes to several hours, can contact the nearest of 81 vehicle-recycling centers across Greece and arrange an appointment (see below for Crete contact details).

Owners can turn up with vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons and the recycling center will undertake all the paperwork. Within a week, the car owner should receive a certificate of destruction in the mail that they then take to their local tax office to collect compensation ranging from 500 to 2,200 euros.

Those who wish to purchase a new more environmentally friendly car (classified as Euro 4 or Euro 5) are entitled to another 1,000 euros through their local tax office. This additional cash can be obtained using a certificate issued by the relevant prefectural authority upon the issuance of the new car's registration.
ekathimerini

Scrappage Centres in Crete:

Chania
Vehicle scrappage centre, MON EPE, Kontopoulo, Dimos Keramia, Chania.
Tel . 28210 65150

Heraklion

Katheris ABEE, BI-PE Heraklion, O.T.13, Odos P, Alikarnassos, Heraklion
Tel. 2810 382021

and

Kokalis Scrap EPE, Odos L and O, BI_PE Heraklion, O.T 3, Alikarnassos
Tel. 2810 383015

Note: Heavy vehicles, over 3.5 tons, can be scrapped in Heraklion only.

www.edoe.gr

Documentary on the Cretan Diet films in Chania

A documentary on the Cretan diet is being filmed by the Discovery Channel in the prefecture of Chania. The film crew yesterday visited the Biolea company in Kolimpari, which produces organic olive oil.

Biolea owner, George Demetriades, said the Discovey Channel "is starting a series of documentaries to present the food and diet of Mediterranean countries. In Crete the focus is based on olive oil."

"The production system of oil in the traditional way, with cold presses and stone mills, was one of the reasons the Discovery Channel opted to use us for the documentary," said Mr Dimitriadis. "Our organic olive press meets all ISO and HACCP standards and we are the only olive oil producing unit in Greece which has an environmental ISO. Also, our oil presses have recycling systems, reuse and renewable energy. These characteristics are what attracted the documentary makers to choose Biolea. The documentary will run on the TV station in mid-December."

On the quality and availability of oil, Mr Dimitriadis pointed out that "the oil produced in the stone mill cannot not be compared with any other quality of oil that exists today. The traditional system for the production of olive oil (millstones, cold press)is slow. To cite one example: a medium oil mill can grind five tons of olives per hour. We can grind one tonne of olives per hour. So the man hours are more, but the olive oil is better quality so we are much more expensive. As such, our oil is available only in markets abroad, who appreciate this exclusive quality."

Biolea is a family business established in Chania in 1995 by George Dimitriadis and his wife Christina Lakroua.
The company's aim was to exploit its own production of olive trees, investing in new premises and innovative engineering in traditional infrastructure to create quality control of the product, but also to create an interesting destination point for visitors.

Biolea olive oil does not circulate in the Greek market. The entire production, which varies annually from 60 to 100,000 bottles, is available exclusively to overseas such as America, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Scandinavia and Northern Europe.
Article translated from the Haniotika Nea.


The Biolea Astrikos Estate is located near Kolimbari. They conduct free guided tours of the olive mill. Call or e-mail for times and to reserve:

Astrikas Estate
Astrikas
Kolymbari
Crete
Tel/Fax: +(30) 28240 23281
Factory - Tel/Fax: +(30)28240 83155

e-mail: contact "at" biolea "dot" gr
website: www.biolea.gr

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