Green Issues


Dealing with waste


In the last few issues we have been covering a range of stories looking at green issues in the inflight industry. This month we talk about biofuels, trash compacting and have the latest report from Kevin Cox on garbage


“I would like to change tack slightly in my regular ‘Garbage’ review and move away from airlines and airports and instead look at how leading companies outside our industry are dealing with their Category 1 waste,” says Kevin Cox. • Over the last three or so years, Solena Group (a Washington DC-based company which builds and operates renewable energy power plants in North America, Asia and Europe) has built a facility which takes rubbish, tree bark and manure and converts it to jet fuel through a process known as plasma gasification. Using very high temperatures (in


excess of 5,000 degrees) plasma arcs transform this ‘garbage’ into gas fuel. With a slight modification it can be converted into liquids which are then used to power aircraft - jet fuel. This process releases plenty of CO2 back into the environment but decomposing landfill waste and petroleum-based aviation fuel, generates more. Overall, it is certainly worth a closer look at this venture as an option now. • SriLankan Catering has discovered that the skies are not always friendly when dealing with food waste generated in-flight. They now employ the principles of steam sterliisation using the Autoclave System. This, I am told, is a first as it has never been used on airline food waste decontamination, since the widely used method of disposal on a global scale is incineration. The Autoclave System is designed to sterilise food waste at 121C temperatures for 25 minutes. To maximise the environmental


68 www.onboardhospitality.com


benefits, the food waste after sterilisation is disposed of as an animal feed. As a result, no material that is released into the environment is waste. • UK-based airline caterer DHL, has created a new and unique waste management system and recycling


future cost increases, all in one! So where does this leave us? We


know that the restrictions placed on airline garbage by government categorisation of waste – Category 1 is in place and in order to change this and the thinking behind it, vast sums of money will need to be spent


“The best we can hope for is that more airlines and airports around the globe continue to separate and recycle to the best of their ability”


process, utilising the first application of waste drying technology within the UK airline industry. In doing so the company aims to reduce waste by over 80%, eliminate landfill dumping by mid 2011, reduce transport emissions, make significant savings, and tackle the issue of


lobbying governments around the global community. This is just not feasible in the short term. It may sound doom and gloom, but there really is no short term fix for this – the systems in place are firmly set in their ways and not likely to change anytime soon.


DHL’s new and unique waste management system and recycling process


The best we can hope for is that


more airlines and airports around the globe continue to separate and recycle to the best of their ability. More suppliers to our industry are needed in order to continue and provide innovative ways to package food products which will allow caterers and airports to reduce, re-use and recycle, and environmentally conscious companies such as those mentioned above, continue to lead the way in adapting and challenging new routes to market. Thus endeth the lesson.....and


possibly the high-water mark on this subject for now? Contact Kevin Cox with your environment news on email: k.cox@culi-dor.nl


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