Special Report
MNH’s goal is zero landfill; headphones are washed and re-used
hugely. We work with all the players in the supply chain and this also varies by client. It could be the cleaners, third party logistic providers or manufacturers, but most importantly we need to be part of the in-flight service team.
Tell us how you work with headphones as a case study. Firstly we make sure we receive the headphones directly from the manufacturer in China so that we are monitoring the ‘in’ as well as the ‘out’. When they come back from the airline we wash or replace the ear sponges depending on the state of them, and sanitise the headsets. When the sponges have reached the end of their life, rather than sending them to landfill, they are ground up and used by equestrian centres as the flooring of the training area for the horses, the copper wire is used in computers and mobile phones and the plastic for water butts and compost bins.
How do you find ways to re-use products? We’re constantly looking for innovative new homes for the waste we receive and we get ideas through working with other partners in the waste industry. So far we’ve turned polythene bags into picnic tables, in-flight entertainment DVDs are ground down into traffic light lenses and used socks are shredded and used as insulation materials. We also work with Virgin’s sustainability team to divert from landfill pillows, headrest covers, textiles and even seat foam at the end of life, through secondary re-use initiatives.
Our ultimate goal is zero landfill. We’ve reduced
ours down to ten per cent of what it was. The last few per cent are very hard. At the moment we’re looking at sending that last ten per cent to an incinerator, which would produce energy – but it’s a last resort, we’d rather turn it into something else.
What products are the worst waste offenders? Using disposable items when a rotable item has an equivalent cost, is for me the biggest no-no, and headsets are an example of this. Headsets are covered by special EU legislation as part of electrical waste – you can’t just throw them away. You have to put in a segregation and recycling programme and you need a special permit to provide that service, which we have.
Tell us about your workforce. We have a variety of workforces, including an in-house team. We also have specialist work forces like disabled centres and prison workforces both in the UK and Australia. This is partly down to our ethical values, but it also makes sound operational sense. These workforces are highly reliable and have good levels of consistency and security. Plus, our clients value this tactic; they see it as part of their corporate social responsibility.
What are your biggest challenges? I think one of the pressures we find is actually the pressure on aircraft turnaround. It’s all about dressing an aircraft as quickly as possible, to look great when customers board. We want to support this, but we also want to make sure we’re not loading to much and we’re retrieving what can be
re-used, which means trying to make sure waste streams are not contaminated so that products can be segregated. Segregating products at source is the best way
but that takes time. Airline and cleaning staff will throw things when they are under pressure. Our job is to monitor this, find the leak, and see if this is happening to the detriment of the airline’s finances. It all comes down to money. If there’s a strong financial proposition the airlines will be receptive. We can quantify that with our systems and that really does give power to our elbow.
What are MNH’s plans for the future? Our plans are very much about growing internationally. We’re talking to various airlines about delivering savings to them and really helping them to realise their environmental aspirations. It’s an exciting opportunity to us to make a difference financially and to divert waste by sharing best practice. America has good potential for us. We still think
there is further growth for us in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. The flagship all-frill carriers who provide the most products and generate the most waste are all potential clients for us.
Will emerging markets like China be a challenge to change your tactics? First and foremost we have a financial proposition which is universally attractive. The clients and supply chains we work with dictate the solution required which varies within and between markets. Reducing financial and environmental waste is a common goal.
www.mnhscs.com
www.onboardhospitality.com
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