Recycling regulations in Greece are tightening, and residents who fail to follow proper procedures may face financial penalties. In Thessaloniki, a citizen was recently fined €150 for throwing a cardboard box into a recycling bin without first compressing it.
The municipal authorities traced the individual using a voucher on the packaging, which included the recipient’s personal details. According to Thessaloniki’s waste management rules, introduced in 2024, all cardboard boxes and packaging must be folded, tied, or otherwise reduced in volume before disposal. Failure to comply carries a €150 fine for residents, with the same amount applied to businesses and food establishments for each item. Repeat offenses result in doubled fines.
While Thessaloniki enforces strict measures, Athens does not impose specific fines for uncompressed cardboard. Instead, its sanitation regulations include broader penalties for improper waste handling or causing public pollution.
