Greek Seas

The Causes and the Solutions of the Pollution of the Greek Sea

Various Greek coasts, ports, and beaches are suffering from an advanced degree of contamination. This recent high level of pollution is a really important issue not only because the seas are the most attractive tourist areas, but also because they are an important part of the "home" of the Greek society. Despite its vital importance, multiple disrespectful human activities such as wastes from industrial and agricultural activities, from tourists, from urban areas, from hotels, and ships’ emissions pollute heavily the Greek sea. This is threatening to people’s health as well as to the environment. However, this phenomenon can be solved through the use of biological treatment of sewage and waste, the sea control from social institutions, the use of materials friendly to the environment, a better environmental education, and the composting of the organic waste. These multiple and great efforts can be made by businessmen/women, environmental organizations, responsible and respectful actions of the society.

To begin with, a remarkable cause of the phenomenon is the industrial and agricultural activities that take place in seaside areas or in areas close to rivers. Intense industrial and agricultural activities are mainly performed in areas that lie within the Thermaikos, Patraikos and Saronikos Gulfs - especially at Eleusis. The residential and industrial development along the coast, which is not accompanied by the necessary infrastructure for wastewater purifying, is another major source of marine pollution (“Pollution”). The excessive use of fertilizers has devastating consequences, because they are transferred to the sea by surface runoff and groundwater aquifers, which results in “eutrophication the process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients (as phosphates) that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life usually resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen”...