Airport Experience® News - Pre-Conference Issue 2025

Above, Left: In 2019, San Francisco International Airport became the first airport in the world to prohibit the provision or sale of single-use water bottles in plastic or aseptic paper packaging. This policy has since been expanded to all beverages, as well as a ban on non-compostable plastic serveware and serveware accessories for foods and beverages made-to-order.

At ATL, in addition to complying with the ban on non-compostable serveware, concessionaires are also asked to comply with the airport’s Sustainable Purchasing Policy, including buying products that are more sustainable and from green-certified manufacturers and sellers, and procuring locally sourced and/or organic options, according to Dr. Quinta Warren, ATL’s director of sustainability. Concessionaires must also reduce waste and work toward the city of Atlanta’s zero waste goals by providing paperless receipt options and QR code menus, recycling, using Green Seal certified cleaning supplies or equivalent and reducing food waste, including providing a Construction Waste Management Plan to divert construction waste from landfills and donating unsellable edible food to communities in need through the airport’s food recovery program. Incentives And Results Cooke points out that there are many reasons to develop a zero-waste strategy such as SFO’s Zero Waste Concessions Program, including but not limited to improving environmental and public health. “Chemicals found in plastics, such as Bisphenol-A, are leading agents of obesity,

diabetes, ADHD in children and breast cancer,” she says. “In addition, plastic is sourced from petroleum or other carbon-based, non-renewable, energy-intensive fossil fuels; the combustion of these fuels emits greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, as well as more toxic pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxide, which contribute to global warming.” Cooke adds that in fiscal year 2021, SFO achieved a 35-percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to its 1990 baseline, and in recent years the airport’s waste diversion hit a peak at 65 percent, attributing these figures to the airport’s strong focus on banning plastics. “We see high levels of compliance with our plastic-free beverage policy at 99-percent compliance, and consistent improvements to comply with the airport’s 2023 fiber foodware requirement,” she says. “With over 20 million square feet of space under SFO, we have incredible opportunities to not only decarbonize our campus but to also lead the way to support our 200-plus businesses in operationalizing sustainability onsite. This not only reduces our collective costs, but also improves the health and vibrancy of our spaces for our millions of passengers and tens of thousands of employees.”

of reusable cups at large events; meet waste sorting compliance by sorting and separating organics and recyclable materials; and participate in SFO’s food donation program, SFO Unites Against Hunger. Cooke notes that there are currently 22 businesses certified with SFO’s Green Business Program, and the airport is actively working with other tenants to onboard them. Following SFO’s single-use plastics ban, other airports have hopped on board with similar policies. In late 2019, the City of Atlanta announced a ban on non-compostable, single-use serveware at all city-owned buildings, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). In June 2024 Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) banned single-use plastic water bottles; and in July 2024 Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) launched a new tenant requirement mandating the use of reusable or certified compostable to-go options at all retail and dining locations at the airport. In addition, Pride notes that the CDA is “excited to work toward the phasing out of petroleum based consumer disposable plastics” at ORD and MDW.

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AX NEWS FEBRUARY 2025