With great success Hellenic Recovery Recycling Corporation (HERRCO) participated at the 88th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF). More than 15.000 visitors visited HERRCO’s interactive booth. Public and private bodies, representatives of the press, representatives of political parties, municipal authorities, businesses, and the public were informed by the company executives about the organization's overall activity in packaging recycling.
In the context of the opening of its booth, visitors and invited guests were informed by the Chairman of HERRCO, Mr. Michael E. Economakis about the remarkable results of the Blue Bins and Blue Bells, the company's investments in innovations and modern technologies, as well as the educational initiatives it implements. Greetings were conveyed by the Mayor of Thessaloniki, the President of the Central Union of Municipalities (KEDE) , the Secretary-General for Waste Management Coordination of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Secretary General of Natural Environment and Waters of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the CEO of Hellenic Recycling Agency. The coordination of the event was undertaken by Mr. Yiannis Razis, General Manager of HERRCO.
HERRCO harnessed new technologies and integrated them into its public awareness campaigns, aiming to cultivate environmental consciousness. Specifically, the company created and presented for the first time at its booth two impressive interactive digital games, pioneering a new approach in the Greek market.
The first is a virtual reality game that aims to familiarize the public with all the stages of Packaging Recycling, and takes place in a virtual damaged recycling plant. Players have 5 minutes to solve the puzzles, activate the recycling systems and prevent the forthcoming ecological disaster of the Earth. The second game incorporates Kinect technology and is an interactive and educational experience, which aims to inform the public about the materials accepted by the Blue Bins. Players with a Blue Recycling Bin Avatar are challenged to collect all recyclable materials, earning points and claiming a spot on the leaderboard.
HERRCO’ s Chairman, Mr. Michael E. Economakis, stated: "For 23 years, HERRCO has covered 99% of the country's population, contributing up to 95% to the national packaging waste results of our country. Thanks to the contribution of 3,500 contracted companies, effective cooperation with local authorities, and primarily the active participation of millions of citizens, HERRCO achieves a result twice its legal obligation, thus reducing CO2 emissions by 1.5 million tons and recovering 520 thousand tons of raw materials, contributing significantly to the circular production model that is important for the protection of the environment”.
