Seattle Airport Debuts Off-Aircraft Recycling System

The Port of Seattle has introduced a centralized off-aircraft recycling system at the Seattle Tacoma airport that the airport says will reduce waste sent to landfills, improve ramp safety, decrease air emissions and save more than $250,000 each year.

"Our goal is to recycle 50 percent of our waste by 2014. This will take us to another major step toward that effort," says Elizabeth Leavitt, director of Planning and Environmental Programs at the Sea-Tac’s airport.

To accomplish the reduction goal, six pairs of large capacity (30 cubic yards) computer-monitored compactors have been installed at locations for all airlines to access. The compactors allow more collection, while computer-monitoring provides alerts when they are full, reducing the amount of pickup trips by 75 percent.

The system has resulted in 89 fewer pickups per month and could reduce pickups to as few as one or two per month at most locations.

During this past March when the program began, an additional 12 tons of recyclables were collected.

The program also includes financial incentives encouraging airlines to recycle. Each airline has a key card to access the system which records how much is deposited in separate compactors designated for trash or recycling. Using the recycling compactor is free of charge. Plus, credits are given for the ratio of recycling versus trash to reducing annual bills.