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{{Short description|Uninhabited island in the Saronic Gulf, Greece}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox islands
|name             = Psyttaleia
|native_name      = Ψυττάλεια
|native_name_lang = el
|image_name       = Psyttaleia.jpg
|image_caption    = Aerial view
|coordinates      = {{coord|37.94|23.588|region:GR_type:isle|display=it}}
| map = Greece 
| map_caption = 
|location         = 
|archipelago      = [[Saronic Islands]]
|total_islands    = 
|area_km2         = 0.375
|highest_mount    = 
|elevation_m      = 
|country          = Greece
|country_admin_divisions_title   = [[Modern regions of Greece|Region]]
|country_admin_divisions         = [[Attica (region)|Attica]]
|country_admin_divisions_title_1 = [[Regional units of Greece|Regional unit]]
|country_admin_divisions_1       = [[Piraeus (regional unit)|Piraeus]]
|country_admin_divisions_title_2 = Municipality
|country_admin_divisions_2       = 
|country_capital  = 
|population       = uninhabited
|population_as_of = 2001
|density_km2      = 
|postal_code      = 
|area_code        = 
|registration_plate = 
|website          = 
}}

'''Psyttaleia''' ({{langx|el|Ψυττάλεια}}) is an uninhabited island in the [[Saronic Gulf]] between the harbor of [[Piraeus]] and the [[Salamis Island#Kynosoura|Kynosoura]] peninsula on [[Salamis Island]], [[Greece]]. It covers an area of 0.375 square kilometers. The island houses [[Athens|Athens']] largest [[sewage treatment]] plant,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eydap.gr/en/TheCompany/DrainageAndSewerage/NetworkFuctionality/|title=Sewerage network operation|website=eydap.gr|access-date=6 October 2023}}</ref><ref name=":0">[https://www.eydap.gr/userfiles/c3c4382d-a658-4d79-b9e2-ecff7ddd9b76/Fact-sheet-PWWTP.pdf ΕΥΔΑΠ Α.Ε.] eydap.gr {{dead link|date=October 2023}}</ref> which is also the largest in Europe,<ref name="xaa">{{in lang|el}} [http://www.ase.gr/content/gr/Announcements/CompaniesPress/press_date.asp?dt=21/12/2006 Athens Stock Exchange] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070530191046/http://www.ase.gr/content/gr/Announcements/CompaniesPress/press_date.asp?dt=21%2F12%2F2006 |date=2007-05-30 }}, ''Elliniki Technodomiki TEB AE'', Retrieved on 2007-06-08.</ref><ref name="Themeliodomi">{{in lang|el}} [http://www.themeliodomi.gr/act_const.html Themeliodomi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070801060458/http://www.themeliodomi.gr/act_const.html |date=2007-08-01 }}, ''Environmental protection works'', Retrieved on 2007-06-08.</ref> with a projected daily maximum drying capacity of 750 tons of sewage.<ref name="Ant1">{{in lang|el}} [http://news.antenna.gr/articleDetail/0,3091,159407,00.html Antenna News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070619035527/http://news.antenna.gr/articleDetail/0,3091,159407,00.html |date=2007-06-19 }}, ''Karamanlis in Psyttaleia'', Retrieved 8 June 2007</ref> Administratively it is part of the [[Communities and Municipalities of Greece|Municipality]] of [[Piraeus]].

==History==
{{see also|Battle of Salamis}}
In 480 BC, before the naval [[battle of Salamis]], the [[Persia]]ns installed in the island a garrison of soldiers and noblemen. After the Greek victory, the Persian fleet retreated towards [[Phaleron]] and the guard was abandoned. [[Aristides]], the Athenian [[strategos]] (general), landed on the island and executed all the Persians. From the Middle Ages until recently{{when|date=May 2020}} the island was called ''Lipsokoutali''<ref>F.A. Paley, The Tragedies of Aeschylus, ''ad''  ΠΕΡΣΑΙ 449</ref> (Λειψοκουτάλι - lit. ''half-spoon''), because it resembled a half-spoon when seen from the [[Mount Aigaleo]]. Ancient Psyttaleia has long been identified with modern Lipsokoutali, though some scholars proposed [[Mount Aigaleo]] instead; the consensus remains with Lipsokoutali.<ref>Paul W. Wallace, "Psyttaleia and the Trophies of the Battle of Salamis", ''American Journal of Archaeology'' '''73''':3:293–303 (July 1969) {{JSTOR|503511}} {{doi|10.2307/503511}}</ref>

In modern history, the island was briefly transformed into a naval prison, in accordance with the French model of the time, as well as place of exile for political dissidents.

==Sewage treatment plant==
[[File:Psyttaleia location.jpg|thumb|left|Location of Psyttaleia in the [[Saronic Gulf]] ]]
Since the 1990s, the [[Saronic Gulf]] was starting to become polluted by industrial and residential sewage from [[Athens]]. In order to protect the ecosystem and due to considerations for negative implications on [[Tourism in Greece|tourism]], a [[sewage treatment]] plant was installed on the island which started operation in November 1994.<ref name="eydap">{{in lang|el}} [http://www.eydap.gr/index.asp?a_id=205 EYDAP AE] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929012848/http://www.eydap.gr/index.asp?a_id=205 |date=2007-09-29 }}, ''Psyttaleia Sewage Plant'', Retrieved on 2007-06-08</ref> This included the [[Sewage treatment#Primary treatment|primary treatment]], which prevents the waste from entering the sea, but did not provide a permanent solution for the resulting sludge. Temporary solutions of exporting the sludge and of neutralizing it through oxidization proved insufficient over the years.

On June 1, 2007, the [[Sewage treatment#Sludge treatment and disposal|sludge treatment]] plant was put into operation, with two production lines of a total waste drying capacity of 500 tons per day. Another two production lines started operation a month later, raising the total capacity to more than 750 tons per day.<ref name="Ant1"/> It is estimated that the remaining sludge of 150,000 to 160,000 tons that was accumulated on the island over the years when only the primary treatment was active, would be converted to [[biofuel]] in the first six months of operation, and used in industry, especially in cement kilns and electricity power plants.<ref name="Ethnos">{{in lang|el}} [http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=5348&subid=2&pubid=113506 Ethnos], ''Psyttaleia "breathes"'', Retrieved on 2007-06-08</ref> On October 5, 2007, [[Minister for the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works (Greece)|environment vice-minister]] Themistoklis Xanthopoulos announced that there would be no sludge left in the following five months, and that auditors such as the [[European Court of Auditors]] had approved the quality of the plant.<ref>{{in lang|el}} [http://www.skai.gr/master_story.php?id=61779 Skai News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717002734/http://www.skai.gr/master_story.php?id=61779 |date=2011-07-17 }}, "Ούτε 1 κιλό λυματολάσπης στην Ψυττάλεια" (''"Not a kilo of sludge in Psyttaleia"''), Retrieved on 2007-10-05.</ref>

==Other structures and services==
In the northeastern part of the island, which is not occupied by the sewage treatment plant, there is a lighthouse and a station of the [[Hellenic Coast Guard]] [[Vessel Traffic Service]] system.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.pireasnet.gr/ Official website of Municipality of Piraeus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029124158/http://www.pireasnet.gr/ |date=2007-10-29 }} {{in lang|en|el}}

{{Aegean Sea}}
{{The Saronic}}

[[Category:Landforms of Piraeus (regional unit)]]
[[Category:Islands of Attica]]
[[Category:Islands of Greece]]
[[Category:Saronic Islands]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Greece]]
[[Category:Economy of Athens]]
[[Category:Sewage treatment plants]]
[[Category:Water supply and sanitation in Greece]]
[[Category:Battle of Salamis]]
[[Category:Uninhabited islands of Greece]]