Asbestos in Schools Units – Environment Protection Policies. Greece: As Case Study

Authors

  • Agisilaos Economou National Technical University of Athens, Greece
  • Roido Mitoula Harokopio University of Athens, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13052/spee1048-5236.4445

Keywords:

Asbestos in schools units, asbestos management

Abstract

The widespread use of asbestos in the past in building materials for many schools and the improper maintenance of these schools right up to the present, is a serious problem that the country has to face up to. This has had serious effects on human health. The present paper using as point of reference the various asbestos management policies applied in school units in the UK and the USA, focuses on Greece as a case study taking into account EU directions and guidelines. The research methodology is founded on data from various studies, legal frameworks, and EU Directives, as well as on personal interviews with the managers of the Building Infrastructures
(BI), a body responsible for the management and resolution of the asbestos problem in Greek school units. Overall, the research underlines the fact that the asbestos issue is still prevalent and a huge amount of money is required for its resolution. In Greece, the implementation of a management plan for the removal of asbestos from school units was launched in 2004.

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Author Biographies

Agisilaos Economou, National Technical University of Athens, Greece

Agisilaos Economou is an Environmentalist. He holds a BA in Environmen- tal Studies from the University of the Aegean, an MA in Architecture of Space, a Ph.D. and a Postdoc in Spatial and Urban Planning from the School of Architecture of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and a Postdoc in Environmental Ethics from the School of Applied Mathematical & Physical Sciences of NTUA. His research areas include Environmental man- agement, European Policies, Circular Economy, Spatial and Urban Planning and technical law. He teaches at Universities and he is serving as a reviewer for highly-respected journals.

Roido Mitoula, Harokopio University of Athens, Greece

Roido Mitoula is Professor at Harokopio University of Athens. She holds a BA in “Political Sciences and Public Administration” from National Kapodistriako University of Athens, an MA in “Architecture of Space” and a Ph.D in “Urban Planning and Spatial Design” from N.T.U.A. She has scientific publications and has participated in numerous Greek and interna- tional Conferences. She is researcher in the Laboratory of Applied Economics and Sustainable Development of Harokopio University and she co-operated with the Laboratory of Urban Design of N.T.U.A. She specialises in issues of “Sustainable Development”.
He was Head of the Department of Home Economics and Ecology from November 2015 to November 2017. She is Editor of Sustainable Devel- opment, Culture, Traditions Journal (SDCT-Journal www.sdct-journal.com) (ISSN 2241-4010) and Editor of Greek Journal “Bι´ωσιμη Aν ´απτ υξη, Περιβ ´αλλoν, Πoλιτ ισμ´oς, Oικoνoμ´ıα, Ko ινων´ıα (www.sdct-journal.gr) (ISSN 2241-4002). She is a member of the Committee of the Graduate Pro- gram “Sustainable Development” of Harokopio University and is responsible for the “Local Development”. She is a member of Scientific Committees and reviewer in scientific journals and Conferences. She has organized Sci- entific Seminars, Scientific Conferences and Scientific Meetings on Urban Environment and Regional Development. She is the national representative of Greece in European Union programs related to Sustainable Development.

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Published

2025-10-31

How to Cite

Economou, A. ., & Mitoula, R. . (2025). Asbestos in Schools Units – Environment Protection Policies. Greece: As Case Study. Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment, 44(04), 755–772. https://doi.org/10.13052/spee1048-5236.4445

Issue

Section

Urban and Regional Sustainable Development in Southern Europe