It has been established that the airline industry as a whole needs to become more environmentally friendly. However, when considering ways in which these companies can do so, people generally tend to default to considering fuel source options and greenhouse gas emissions. We tend to leave out a large factor in what it means to be environmentally friendly—recycling. There are no set rules and regulations regarding recycling which means that each of the 552 airports within the US decides on their own way to handle their waste. Due to not only lack of procedures and policies, but also lack of education it is estimated that 75% of waste that is generated in airports is recyclable, however only 20% of this is recycled. This works out to about 500 million more pounds of waste every year that could be recycled and saved from the landfills. To understand the multitude of waste being thrown away by airlines in the US every year picture: “…9,000 tons of plastic, enough aluminum cans to build 58 Boeing 747 jets, and enough newspaper and magazines to cover a football field 230 meters deep”. It is estimated that each passenger creates 1.3 pounds of waste per flight which adds up to 7.5 million pounds of trash generated each day!
Portland International Airport has recognized the impact of the waste being created and has taken steps to minimize this issue and show more support to recycling programs. It was realized that 48,000 of 78,000 recyclable bottles were ending up in the garbage at security checkpoints. To address this issue the airport “…installed liquid dumping stations at the checkpoints allowing travelers to pour out unused liquids and reuse or recycle the bottles”.
The issue of recycling was brought to the forefront, even more so, of the airline industry in 2010 when Green America published the report What Goes Up Must Come Down: The Sorry State of Recycling in the Airline Industry. Green America is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1982 and “…provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems”. This report looked at five different categories:
1. Variety in waste recycled
2. Future in-flight recycling plans
3. Size of in-flight recycling program
4. Education/encouragement of employees in onboard recycling programs
5. Other in-flight sustainability initiatives
and graded eleven different airlines based on this criteria. Ranked from best to worst are: Delta Airlines, Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Jet Blue, American Airlines, British Airways, Air Tran, United Airlines, US Airways. Delta ranked highest due to their work already established within the recycling sector. In 20007 they launched an in-flight recycling program “…which salvages aluminum cans, plastic bottles, plastic trays, beverage cups, newspapers & magazines” on their flights landing in 20 major cities. However due to the fact that they do not recycle on their international flights Delta was unable to receive a perfect grade. Look at the video below as Delta Airlines show how they are doing their part to recycle.
Although not included in the grading system, Horizon Air was the leader in recycling programs, starting an onboard-recycling program in the 1980’s. Awarded 2010 Recycler of the Year by Washington State Recycling Association, Horizon Air has policies both on the ground and in the air which allow them to sustain the strong recognition as a recycling company. On flights newspaper, magazines, aluminum cans, plastic cups, and plastic and glass bottles are collected. In addition, in food and beverage locations within their Seattle, Portland, and Boise locations wine corks, cardboard, aluminum and plastic poprings, coffee grounds and shrink wrap are recycled. Not only being a pioneer in the area, Horizon Air is also now a leader recycling about 70% of their onboard waste.
Check out ways in which some airlines are turning trash into fashion as a way of recycling:
Sources Used in this Post:
Environmental & Energy Management News . (2010, May 25 ). Horizon Air Gets Nod For Recycling Efforts. Retrieved March 17 , 2011, from Environmental & Energy Management News : http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/05/25/horizon-air-gets-nod-for-recycling-efforts/
Green America. (2010, February 18). New Airline Recycling Rankings: United and US Airways Flunk, while Delta, Virgin, and Southwest get best grades,according to ResponsibleShopper.org. Retrieved March 17, 2011, from Green America: http://www.greenamerica.org/about/newsroom/releases/2010.02.18.cfm
Mahr, K. (2010, August 16). In-Flight Recycling's Slow Takeoff. Retrieved March 17, 2011, from Time: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2008879,00.html
Negroni, C. (2010, February 22). Leaving the Trash Behind. Retrieved March 17, 2011, from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/business/energy-environment/23recycle.html
Pawlowski, A. (2010, March 2). Sorry state of recycling in the airline industry. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from eTurboNews: http://www.eturbonews.com/14687/sorry-state-recycling-airline-industry
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