Develop and implement a Green Concessions Policy.
Achieving a high waste diversion rate may not be possible without full participation by airport concessions. A Green Concessions Policy provides concessionaires with guidance and standards for minimizing waste, enhancing recycling, generating demand for eco-friendly products, and providing healthier foods for passengers and employees. For example, the Policy can include an airport ban of polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) and petroleum-based plastic containers and utensils and the procurement of green cleaning products. The Policy should have easy to follow standards and involve close communication with concessions. Continuous improvement will be necessary to help facilitate education. Implementation of a Green Concessions Policy can increase composting and recycling, reduce the volume of waste hauled off-airport to area landfills (and associated hauling and disposal costs), and provide subsequent air quality benefits through reduced truck-trips for waste haulers. Water quality and health benefits can be achieved from the purchase of organic products and increased use of non-toxic cleaning materials. Social benefits include increased demand for eco-friendly produces and increased donation of surplus food, in accordance with federal guidelines.
Practice Information
| Capital Cost: | Low Cost ($5,000 – $100,000 US) |
| O&M Cost: | Moderate (>$50,000 – $100,000 US) |
| Payback Period: | Immediate (0 – 2 years) |
| Staffing Requirements: | Low (10 – 50 hours per month) |
| Reportability of Metrics: | Quantitative metric with baseline for comparison practices and is already tracked |
| Maturity of Practice: | Proven at one or two airports |
| Energy Reduction: | Decreases energy consumption |
| Environmental Benefits: | Significant, multiple environmental benefits |
| Social Benefits: | Significant, multiple social benefits |
Airport Characteristics
Categories
Case Studies
March 28, 2013
O’Hare (ORD) and Midway (MDW) International Airports, Chicago, Illinois
On March 28, 2013, the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) adopted a Green Concessions Policy and Guide to Green Concessions Operations (“Policy”). The Policy is among the first of its kind in the airport industry. It provides concessionaires at O'Hare and Midway Airports with guidance and standards for minimizing waste, enhancing recycling, generating demand for eco-friendly products, and providing healthier foods for passengers and employees. All existing concessionaires operating at O’Hare and Midway, as well as all new concessionaires, must adopt this Policy. The Policy includes the following requirements: • Ban polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) for all disposable consumer packaging • Ban all petroleum-based plastic bags, including trash and take-out bags • Ban all petroleum-based plastic disposable consumer containers and utensils • Source-separate all solid waste refuse into recyclables, compostables, and refuse • Procure only green cleaning and hygiene products and soaps • Increase procurement of sustainable foods to a minimum of 20 percent of total costs by 2016 • Procure recycled content paper for printing uses that has a minimum recycled content of 100% • Donate surplus food to the greatest extent allowable by food safety regulations • Incorporate Sustainable Airport Manual© (SAM) guidance and achieve a ‘Green Airplane Rating’. CDA staff conducted outreach and training to ensure that all concessionaires were positioned to comply with the Policy. The Policy serves as an implementation tool to help achieve the waste reduction goal established in CDA’s Sustainable Path to divert at least 50 percent of waste from landfills.
Related Links
Chicago Department of Aviation, “Green Concessions Policy”
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