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The tanker, operated by haulage company Karatzas, was reportedly carrying around 16 cubic metres of liquid waste<\/strong> collected from the Papadopoulou facility on Petrou Ralli Avenue in Tavros.<\/p>\n Authorities stopped the vehicle last week during an operation by the Attica Police waste dumping prevention unit in the Egaleo area.<\/p>\n According to findings cited by the investigation, the storm drain where the tanker was stopped did not lead to an ordinary sewer. Instead, it discharged directly into the Kifissos River.<\/p>\n The investigation began after an anonymous tip prompted environmental inspectors to monitor vehicles transporting industrial and domestic waste.<\/p>\n Initial laboratory tests reportedly found extremely high levels of organic pollution in the waste.<\/p>\n The reported chemical oxygen demand reached 25,000 milligrams per litre<\/strong>, compared with a limit of 1,000 milligrams. Suspended solids were reportedly measured at 4,500 milligrams per litre against a 500 milligram limit, while phosphates reached 25 milligrams compared with a reported limit of 10 milligrams.<\/p>\n The sample reportedly had a pH of 4.8<\/strong>, below the 6 to 9 range accepted by the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company, EYDAP.<\/p>\n The figures remain subject to confirmation through final laboratory analysis.<\/p>\n The waste is believed to contain residues from food production, including sugars, flour and sourdough. Such a high organic load can consume dissolved oxygen in waterways, placing additional pressure on aquatic life.<\/p>\n Papadopoulou has said the tanker did not belong to the company but to a contracted transport company responsible for collecting wastewater from its Tavros facility and transporting it to the Metamorfosi wastewater treatment centre operated by EYDAP.<\/p>\n The company has maintained that responsibility for complying with environmental and regulatory requirements rested with its transport partner.<\/p>\n Investigators are now examining whether the waste was properly documented and where previous tanker loads were ultimately taken.<\/p>\n Authorities are also cross checking the haulage company\u2019s tanker records at Metamorfosi against collections from the Papadopoulou facility.<\/p>\n The investigation has also raised questions about how industrial waste is tracked after leaving factories.<\/p>\n According to information cited in the case, EYDAP records a tanker\u2019s arrival at the Metamorfosi facility but does not necessarily maintain a complete digital record linking every individual load to its producer, quantity, analysis, loading time and final destination.<\/p>\n That means a tanker entering the treatment plant does not, by itself, establish exactly what waste it was carrying or where the load originated.<\/p>\n Authorities are examining whether industrial waste may have been recorded as domestic sewage in some cases.<\/p>\n The investigation is also looking at tanker routes, collection records, invoices, payments and deliveries to the Metamorfosi facility.<\/p>\n Officials have previously developed plans for a digital tracking system that would assign every waste load a unique identification number.<\/p>\n The proposed system would combine GPS tracking, electronic registration and records covering the waste\u2019s origin, quantity, type and licensed destination.<\/p>\n It would also allow authorities to identify deviations from planned routes and investigate suspicious stops.<\/p>\n According to information cited in the investigation, the system was tested as a pilot project with EYDAP but was never fully implemented.<\/p>\n The current investigation will determine whether the intercepted tanker represents an isolated incident or whether authorities uncover evidence of a wider pattern involving the transportation and disposal of industrial wastewater.<\/p>\n The case remains under investigation and the reported laboratory results are awaiting final confirmation.<\/p>\nWaste reportedly exceeded permitted limits<\/h3>\n
Papadopoulou says tanker belonged to contractor<\/h3>\n
Questions over waste tracking<\/h3>\n
A system designed to track every tanker<\/h3>\n