Waste

Target 2006/07: To recycle at least 26% of airport waste between April 2006 and March 2007.
Performance against target: No progress (25%)

The issue

BAA London Stansted is responsible for managing over 6,000 tonnes of waste each year, the majority of which is generated by passengers, airlines and businesses operating at the airport. We are committed to a responsible approach to waste management and continually strive to improve the efficiency of our waste management activities.

Our approach

The group strategy for BAA is to recycle 40% of total waste by 2010. At Stansted, we are revising our waste management strategy to ensure we meet the BAA group target and have set our own objective to recycle 30% of total waste by the end of 2007.

In line with local and national waste objectives, including those set out in the UK Government’s 2005 sustainable development strategy, we are committed to reducing our reliance on landfill and improving efficiency.

Our aim is to continue increasing the volume of recycled waste at the airport and improve management of hazardous waste, including better storage and transportation facilities. We will also be investing in new equipment to improve the on-site management and handling of waste.

Our performance

2006/07 proved challenging following the increased terror threats to UK aviation on 10 August 2006 and the roll out of a major new waste contract for the airport.

During the year:

• New hand luggage restrictions resulted in increased volumes of waste in the terminal building when passengers discarded or surrendered items. In July 2006, 573 tonnes of waste was collected at Stansted; this figure rose to 670 tonnes for August, an increase of 16.9%. Due to the nature of the terror threat, all liquid items surrendered or confiscated at security could not be recycled. The effects of 10 August meant we fell behind our 26% recycling target for the year, but we are proud to have finished only 1% under target and only 0.3% below last year’s figure;
• As part of the £30 million project to re-surface the runway, a section of the old runway surface was broken up to form the base of a new 1km cycle route at Duck End near the airport;
• A series of free training days were offered to companies based at Stansted in an effort to increase awareness of environmental issues and improve waste management. Over ten companies took part in our Sustainable Waste Management Course. We received very positive feedback and many companies revised their procedures and identified better ways of managing waste in their work environment; and
• Our waste management team continued to support all BAA departments and other companies based at the airport to improve their waste management and increase
  recycling.

Our plans

Grundons, a company widely recognised as a leader in cost effective and innovative waste collection and disposal, took over Stansted’s waste management contract on 28 March 2007. Staff previously employed by SITA have been retained by Grundons as part of the transition process. As part of their work, Grundons will provide us with improved hazardous waste practices across the airport which includes the management and storage of used oil cans. We are now working closely with the new waste contractor to review Stansted’s waste management strategy.

This will be complemented by the appointment of a dedicated BAA Waste Manager who joined the airport in early June 2007. The primary focus will be to improve performance in all aspects of waste disposal and recycling. We are looking at the possibility of constructing a waste bulking facility at Stansted to reduce the road haulage impacts of transporting waste and to facilitiate more recycling.

As part of our waste management strategy we continually monitor the waste industry to keep up to date with new local facilities and technologies appropriate to our business.

Target 2007:
To recycle at least 30% of airport waste between April 2007 and December 2007.

Data summary