The local waste recycling rate has reached an all-time high of 86 percent thanks to an innovative circular economy project which aims to transform the island of Tilos into the first zero waste island.

The “Just Go Zero Tilos” project is funded and supported by Polygreen and is implemented in collaboration with the municipal authorities.

“Tilos has become the island with the highest rate of recycling world-wide. This fills us with hope,” Environment and Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas said during a visit to the remote island which lies 78 km (48 miles) from Rhodes.

The 2020 EU circular economy action plan aims to halve the quantity of municipal waste not recycled or prepared for reuse by 2030, while all EU member states must recycle or prepare for reuse at least 60 percent of their municipal waste by 2030.

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.