Inflight Recycling Programs at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air ACI-NA Airport Board Members and Commissioners Conference Savannah, GA April 13, 2010 Presented by: Carol Sim Director, Environmental Affairs
Overview About Alaska Airgroup (AAG) AAG s Environmental impacts Horizon Air s Recycling Program Alaska Airlines Recycling Program Obstacles to Recycling Other considerations Future Summary
Atlanta Houston 6.7 million passengers/yr. 3,100 employees 58 aircraft 47 cities served 390 daily departures
AAG Key Environmental Impacts Green House Gas Emissions Aircraft Fleet Vehicles/Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Buildings electricity & HVAC Solid Wastes Inflight Wastes Maintenance (aircraft, facility, GSE) Office building wastes Materials/Procurement Other: Deicing, Noise
Addressing Our Impacts Carbon/Fuel Reduction Programs Fleet transition Flying efficiencies Electrification of GSE fleets Solid Wastes Recycling Materials Ticketless travel Electronic forms Sustainable procurement Tonnes of CO2-e per 1 MM RPMs 230 220 210 200 190 180 170 160 Alaska Air Group Intensity 220.1 205.2 197.5 192.2 183.0 171.4 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Year
The Case for Recycling Reduced disposal costs Garbage disposal = $125/ton* Recycling = FREE* Aluminum cans: <~ $.75/lb> PET bottles: <$.46-54/lb> Paper: <$199/ton> Improved public image Brand connection/relevance Increased morale, employee engagement Meets increasing customer & societal expectations It s the right thing to do Saves trees, oil, water & energy and reduces pollution * Seattle-area costs
WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN: THE SORRY STATE OF RECYCLING IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY An estimated 7.5 million pounds of trash is generated by the US. Aviation industry every day. 75% of that trash is recyclable. Only 20% ever reaches a recycling center.
Environmental Friendliness
One million disposable cups, the amount used on airline flights every 6 hours in the US. ~www.chrisjordan.com
Horizon Air (QX) Recycling Program Began inflight recycling in the mid-late 1980 s Both co-mingled and segregated Co-mingled: paper, PET cups & bottles, aluminum cans Segregated: glass, coffee grounds Other: Stretch wrap, cardboard, corks, etc.
Horizon Air Waste/recycling managed by QX Food and Beverage Staff (FAB) Three main FAB hubs: SEA, PDX, BOI Primarily beverage service (No hot meals or first class service) Most coffee is brewed on ground Total waste per passenger: 2.64 oz (1.82 oz is recycled) All inflight waste & recyclables managed at airport SeaTac compost collection
Horizon Air Results Waste to Landfill 31% Total Recycled 69% Flight attendants collect over 83% of all recyclable materials Cans 4% Over 69% of all waste is recycled Glass 69% Plastic 9% Paper 18%
Horizon Recognition Port of Portland - Aviation Environmental Excellence Award 2008 Recycling association- 2010 Recycler of the Year
Alaska Airlines (AS) Inflight Recycling Recycling efforts began in 2007 Co-mingled recycling Paper*, PET cups & bottles, aluminum cans, glass Some aluminum collected separately at kitchen Most major hub kitchens participating (7 of 23 kitchens) Goal of 100% collection & recovery in 2009 at Seattle flight kitchen. In Seattle alone, AS Inflight generates 8,000 lbs of garbage per day
Alaska Airlines Aircraft waste/recycling managed by contract catering kitchens Waste is managed at 23 catering kitchens (7 kitchens recycle) Catering kitchens are located both airport and off-airport Some cabin waste is collected and managed by fleet service providers Food & beverage service including some hot meals & First Class service Coffee is brewed on aircraft Total waste per passenger: 13.8 oz
Alaska Airlines Results Recyclables Captured 2007-2009 60% 32% Flight attendants currently collect only 32% of all recyclable materials 0 2007 2008 2009 Year Composition of Inflight Waste by weight 2007-2009 Recyclabl e 25% Twenty-five percent of the waste is actually recyclable Nonrecovera ble 75%
Obstacles to Recycling Some Flight Attendants do not collect recyclables if they believe that it is not recovered at the destination Health & safety concerns Need to keep inflight procedures consistent regardless of flight destination Recycling infrastructure and support at airports & flight kitchens Buy-in from flight kitchen International trash/recycling procedures
Other Opportunities Line Maintenance operations = steel oil cans Ticketing counters = paper Employee breakrooms = aluminum & plastic Air Cargo = stretch wrap, pallets, etc. SEA Line MX recycles appx. 4000 steel cans per week
How Airports can Help Airport-supported recycling programs Co-mingled recycling/segregation Glass Composting Other: office paper, steel, stretch wrap, etc. Garbage/recycling receptacles placed in boarding areas/end of jetways Packaging reduction for airport-based food and beverage tenant vendors Coordinate with all tenants for recycling Ramp-side recycle bins near fleet service areas
The Future? Review packaging on all food and beverage products for sustainability criteria Purchase more recycled-content products Move to paper coffee cups and compostable inflight serviceware Zero Waste in 2020?
The END Thank you! THE END Thank you!