Asbestos rehabilitation project as a model of landscape sustainability

Greece was one of the biggest producers of asbestos in the world as well as a consumer. It took advantage of the asbestos rich Zidani mine, in the region of Western Macedonia in Greece. However, due to serious health problems caused by inhaling asbestos, it was banned in 1979 and the mine closed in March 2000. Rehabilitation management of the abandoned asbestos mining area, the depositions in the open - pit mining area and the tailings remnants was necessary in order to avoid health and environmental problems in the wider area The detailed soil protection and rehabilitation project of the degraded mining area was implemented taking all necessary and appropriate safety and health measures according to the requirements of the relevant E.U and National legislation, so that accidents would be prevented. Results show that the rehabilitation, soil protection and enhancement of the area help the ecosystems to be sustainable, ecologically and socially acceptable