Recycling Best Practices—A Guidebook for Advancing Recycling from Aircraft Cabins (2013)

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21 Flight attendants collect the vast majority of waste materials generated in flight by pas- sengers and can therefore play a central role in maximizing recycling from aircraft cabins by collecting and storing materials on the plane before descent. Upon landing, cabin service and flight kitchen crews can then transport deplaned materials to appropriate containers for recy- cling and disposal. Separating recyclables on the ground after they are mixed with waste is more costly and time-consuming. Different methods can be used to effectively collect and store materials in flight. When an airline is responsible for managing its own waste and recycling, it makes sense for the airline, its flight kitchens, and cabin service crews to work together to develop a consistent system that works best for them, resulting in better recycling results and lower labor costs. When an airport is responsible for managing airline waste and recycling, the airport can work together with airlines to develop a system that is consistent across airports, allowing for more streamlined in-flight separation of recyclables. Why Is This Practice Important? Separating recyclables in flight makes recycling feasible at the airport or flight kitchen. At most airports, if materials are not separated in flight, little opportunity exists for recycling due to the time and cost associated with separating recyclables after they have been mixed with waste. In-flight separation maximizes the market value of recyclables by • Increasing the quantity of recyclable materials collected • Reducing the contamination of recyclable materials with non-recyclable waste Separating waste materials in flight is also a highly visible way to demonstrate an organiza- tion’s environmental commitment. American Airlines works with flight attendants to collect and stow aluminum cans on beverage carts for recycling, while other materials are collected separately in designated garbage bags. At Alaska Airlines, “Turbulence or medical emergencies are the only things that should limit flight attendants from recycling in flight,” says Kathy Hues, onboard food and bev- erage specialist. Best Practice #3. Maximize Recycling by Separating Materials in Flight

22 Recycling Best Practices—A Guidebook for Advancing Recycling from Aircraft Cabins Key Steps to Successful In-Flight Separation This section presents five steps to maximize recycling by separating materials in flight: 1. Design a recycling program with input from key participants. 2. Implement consistent procedures for collecting and storing recyclable materials in flight. 3. Ensure that flight attendants have adequate information, training, and support. 4. Equip flight kitchen, cabin service, and terminal maintenance personnel to contribute to an effective recycling program. 5. Engage and educate passengers early and often. In-Flight Recycling Several airlines—including Delta, Alaska, and Southwest—are using transparent, clearly marked bags for recyclable materials. The bags help distinguish recyclables from garbage and help promote recycling efforts to passengers. Some airlines feature their logos on their recycling bags. Virgin America is in the process of testing galley carts with separate compartments for collecting recyclables and garbage. Step 1: Design a Recycling Program with Input from Key Participants Both airport-managed and airline-managed recycling programs benefit from in-flight separa- tion of recyclables from garbage. Involving key participants from all sectors is critical for design- ing a recycling program built on appropriate and workable in-flight procedures. Table 4 lists some key participants to involve. Gathering input from key participants helps ensure that in-flight procedures support the goals of the recycling program, maximize cost savings and efficiency, and are workable. Airports Terminal maintenance personnel, including supervisors and employees Custodial managers and employees Facilities managers Real estate departments (regarding contracts with airlines) Airlines Flight attendants and supervisors Cabin service crew supervisors and employees Facilities managers Environmental, health, and safety managers Purchasing managers Representatives from contract carriers Flight Kitchens Employees handling deplaned waste materials Facilities managers Table 4. Key participants to involve in designing a recycling program.

Best Practice #3. Maximize Recycling by Separating Materials in Flight 23 Key participants can provide input on specific elements of program design: • Flight attendants and flight kitchen staff can help to identify materials to be collected in flight. • Flight attendants can help to develop consistent procedures for collecting and storing recy- clables in flight. • Airport managers, flight kitchen staff, cabin service crews, and terminal maintenance person- nel can help to establish processes for transporting materials from the aircraft to appropriate recycling facilities at the airport or flight kitchen. • Accounting staff can help determine the costs, savings, and potential revenues associated with the recycling program. Early and close collaboration with partners creates a strong foundation for recycling programs. Step 2: Implement Consistent Procedures for Collecting and Storing Materials in Flight Airlines are likely to take the lead in this process as they set standard procedures for in-flight safety and passenger service, including handling recyclables and waste materials in flight. Airlines with suc- cessful programs have instituted consistent procedures across their organizations. Flight attendants are often involved in determining recycling procedures best suited for their company. Key activities include identifying materials that can be recycled from all or most flights, determining opportunities for consistent collection and storage procedures across flights, and establishing where recyclables will be stored in flight and for landing. Each of these activities is discussed below. Identifying Materials that Can Be Recycled from All or Most Flights Materials recycled at many airports include aluminum cans, mixed paper, cardboard, and plastic bottles. Figure 5 shows the reported availability of recycling services at 66 airports sur- veyed for this project. Airlines can work with airports, purchasing departments, flight kitchens, contract carriers, flight attendants, and cabin service crews to address service items and other materials purchased or brought on board by passengers. Airlines can focus first on capturing the most commonly recycled materials and later on incorporate items that are recycled in selected 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% FromAircraft In Terminal or Elsewhere Figure 5. Availability of recycling collection at airports (as reported in surveys).

24 Recycling Best Practices—A Guidebook for Advancing Recycling from Aircraft Cabins locations, such as beverage cups, plastic film, and food scraps. Suggested approaches to this activ- ity for airlines and airports are the following: • For airline-managed systems, focus first on capturing the most commonly recycled materials and then address items with more limited recycling options, as feasible. • For airport-managed systems, airports can target materials for recycling through the airport’s recycling collectors, while working with other airports and airlines to maintain a consistent system across multiple locations. Determining Opportunities for Consistent Collection and Storage Procedures across Flights In most in-flight recycling programs, flight attendants collect mixed recyclables in designated bags. Aluminum cans and other beverage service items that are not distributed to passengers often stay on galley service carts for collection. Best practices include the following: • Using clear bags labeled with a recycling symbol, label, and the airline’s logo is particularly effective. • Airlines typically purchase the bags, and flight kitchens provide them to each flight. • Flight attendants may collect recyclables and waste from passengers using a galley cart immedi- ately after food or beverage service and carry bags by hand prior to descent to collect recyclable materials remaining in the cabin. Establishing Where Recyclables Will Be Stored in Flight and for Landing Some airlines store empty aluminum cans for recycling on trays in beverage carts. Others place bagged recyclables on top of or inside empty service carts along with (but not inside) waste bags. Making it a standard procedure to keep bags of recyclables separate from waste bags and to have them clearly marked as recyclable supports effective recycling; otherwise, recyclables run the risk of being disposed of as waste. Several airlines with successful recycling programs have developed creative solutions for in- flight separation. For example, Southwest Airlines, which does not use service carts, often stores bagged recyclables in unused wheelchair stowage compartments. The airline received FAA approval for this storage method on flights when the area is not needed for a wheelchair. Airlines can communicate with flight attendants about their specific suggestions for efficiently and consistently collecting and stowing recyclable materials. Step 3: Ensure that Flight Attendants Have Adequate Information, Training, and Support Successful aircraft cabin recycling programs rely on active flight attendant participation and support. Airline managers and supervisors also play an important role in educating attendants on program goals, procedures, and how they can contribute to program success. Airports can reinforce program success through regular recycling updates and printed materials that can be posted in flight attendant break rooms and administrative areas. Airlines with successful recycling programs often educate flight attendants through the new employee orientation and on-boarding process. Recycling guidelines and goals can be integrated into employee manuals. Ongoing training and education are often accomplished through methods such as the following:

Best Practice #3. Maximize Recycling by Separating Materials in Flight 25 • Email updates • Employee blogs • Regular meetings and conference calls • On-the-job training by other flight attendants Training for Success Delta Air Lines flight attendants are introduced to recycling policies and standards at the beginning of their tenure and updated through frequent communication from airline management. Delta also provides information on airport-specific recycling instructions through flight attendants’ pre-clearance reports on each flight. Virgin America provides flight attendants with an introductory training upon hiring, plus biweekly conference calls to introduce new recycling policies, among other topics. Step 4: Equip Flight Kitchen, Cabin Service, and Terminal Maintenance Personnel to Contribute to an Effective Recycling Program The diversity among airports—and in airport/airline relationships—makes some variation in how deplaned recyclables are handled on the ground inevitable. Airlines with successful recycling work with airports and flight kitchens to tailor programs for various locations, while maintaining the overall consistency of in-flight procedures as much as possible. Airlines and airports must work closely with the crews removing and handling materials from aircraft cabins, whether they are flight kitchen crews, cabin service crews, or terminal maintenance personnel. Key activities include ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place for keeping deplaned recyclables separate, provid- ing the infrastructure and information needed to support proper recycling of deplaned materials, and providing training for crew members and managers. Each of these activities is discussed below. Ensuring that Appropriate Procedures Are in Place for Keeping Deplaned Recyclables Separate It is important that there are procedures for separating recyclables from waste and for trans- porting them properly to the appropriate containers. In successful recycling programs, all parties involved in the removal and handling of recyclable materials from an aircraft are aware of the proper procedures for removing materials from the aircraft, transporting them, and depositing them in the proper containers. Without these procedures in place, recyclables may not reach the appropriate location for recycling at the airport or flight kitchen, and the value of in-flight separation of recyclables could be lost. In airline-managed systems, airlines work directly with flight kitchen and cabin service crews at each location to create efficient procedures for moving and handling recyclable materials— from inside the plane, to the ramp, and to the final collection container. In airport-managed systems, airports work with airlines, their flight kitchen or cabin service crews, and with terminal maintenance personnel to ensure that all parties involved are clear about their recycling roles and responsibilities.

26 Recycling Best Practices—A Guidebook for Advancing Recycling from Aircraft Cabins Providing the Infrastructure and Information Needed to Support Proper Recycling of Deplaned Materials Successful recycling programs rely on proper infrastructure to keep recyclable materials sepa- rate and clean during collection, transportation, and disposal. Airports can support successful recycling programs by providing recycling and waste containers that are conveniently located, clearly labeled, and color-coded for easy identifi- cation by users. Airports can gain input on preferred locations from the crews handling and depositing materials in containers on the airfield. When airports co-locate recycling and waste containers, users always have a recycling (and disposal) option available. Providing airlines with detailed maps of airport recycling and waste management infrastructure, including the location of all dumpsters and recycling containers, also supports recycling efforts. See an example map from Sea-Tac International Airport in Figure 6. Airports often need to obtain airline permission before placing recycling bins in areas that airlines are leasing. Airports and airlines can work together to adjust lease terms, if necessary, to enable proper placement of recycling containers. Providing Training for Crew Members and Managers Airlines and airports can partner to provide ongoing education and training for crew mem- bers or supervisors responsible for implementing the recycling procedures. Airlines can provide training to cabin service crews on collecting recycling from aircraft cabins. For example, service crews may be trained to carry recycling and waste bags together Figure 6. Example map of airport recycling infrastructure (from Sea-Tac International Airport).

Best Practice #3. Maximize Recycling by Separating Materials in Flight 27 while collecting discarded materials to maximize efficiency. Using differently colored and labeled bags for recyclables and garbage also supports successful recycling. Airlines and air- ports can coordinate to ensure that the materials collected are able to be recycled at the receiv- ing airport. Airports can provide training to terminal maintenance personnel who receive waste materials at the gate regarding proper transport to airport-managed waste and recycling containers. Flight kitchens can engage and train employees on recycling practices. They can train their transportation crews on how to identify and transport recyclables from the aircraft to the kitchen and make sure that the dish-room crews know how to identify and direct recyclables to appropri- ate containers when the used service carts enter the kitchen. Step 5: Engage and Educate Passengers Early and Often Involving passengers in in-flight separation not only helps increase the effectiveness of recy- cling programs; it can also help build customer loyalty. Airlines and airports with successful programs often educate passengers with recycling messages at the terminal, at the boarding gate, and on the plane. These messages can reinforce understanding and prompt recycling behavior. Airports that provide recycling service for materials deplaned from aircraft can post messages or signs in terminals describing the collaboration between the airport and airlines. Airlines can advertise their commitment to recycling and describe the recycling services they provide through in-flight magazines, menu cards, and video screens. Airlines with successful in-flight separation programs can have flight attendants make announcements with relevant instructions for passengers prior to collection of recyclable materials. Some flight kitchens, often at airlines’ direction, have added recycling logos and messages on menus or other service items to provide additional education to passengers. Delta Air Lines plays short recycling messages alongside music over aircraft audio systems as passengers board and exit the aircraft. The airline also promotes its in-flight recycling program and “100% recycling goal” through messages on seat-mounted video displays.