6th NEWSLETTER
The LIFE DIANA has entered in the last year of its implementation and the recent outcomes have shown that the project is well on track towards its successful completion.
It is highlighted that the valorisation/stabilisation of Petroleum refinery sludge into an added value material, the engineered soil, has been successfully accomplished in the Motor Oil pilot plant. More
precisely, approximately 3,000m3 of engineered soil have been produced and have been transferred to the Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot, at EDSNA landfill at Fyli, achieving the target production, as set by the project. Thus, currently the ongoing technical project actions are related to the validation of engineered soil as a material suitable for landfill activities carrying out at the EDSNA pilot at Fyli. Of course, focus is also given to the dissemination and networking events which are of major importance while reaching the end of the project and preliminary significant outcomes are available.
Hence, within the 6th newsletter, a brief update on Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot site operation is presented as well as the dissemination and networking activities held at the current stage of the project.
Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot
Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot continues being fully operational. The evaluation of the engineered soil performance as daily cover, bottom liner and top layer is well progressing. Leachate samples are regularly collected from the lysimeters by the Municipality staff and then they are chemically and biologically analyzed in NTUA laboratories. More specifically, from the first indications it seems that the engineered soil has a positive environmental impact.
Figure 1: Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot site
Figure 2: Leachate samples collected by Municipality staff
Moreover, testing of the Engineered Soil as vegetating soil material is also under continuous progress.
Different plant species have been planted in the engineered soil such as oleander, quince and myoporum. In brief, monitoring of the plants’ performance showed no negative impact on the plants’ growth.
Figure 3: Municipality of Rafina-Pikermi pilot site
Dissemination Activities
3rd project video
The project team moved on to the production of an informative video on the operation and the activities that were planned and implemented at the LIFE DIANA pilot site at EDSNA landfill at Fyli. The video is ready and will be soon uploaded on the project’s website (https://www.lifediana.eu/).
Networking activities
Green Fund online conference “LIFE financing program and Small and Medium Enterprises: Challenges for sustainable business solutions focusing on the environment protection.”
The LIFE DIANA project was presented at the online conference of Green Fund on the 23th of March 2021. The conference was organised by the Green Fund, the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the Greek LIFE task force (GR LTF), in collaboration with Skywalker.gr for the GRBossible initiative that supports the start-up entrepreneurship.
Figure 4: Invitation poster for of the Greek task force organized by MOH
4th NEEMO visit
The LIFE DIANA 4th NEEMO visit was organized by Motor Oil Hellas on the 14th May 2021 and was held virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation and the restrictive measures that were still in-force. All partners attended the meeting with the presence of NEEMO.
The discussion between partners and NEEMO was productive while the project’s technical and financial progress was presented and thoroughly discussed. A virtual visit on both pilot sites followed the end of the meeting.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES
The production of an informative video on the operation of the Life Diana pilot station and the production of mechanical soil at the Motor Oil refinery in Corinth has been successfully completed.
