When we think about the Airport waste, . Some examples that might come to mind include waste oils and greases from aircraft maintenance, or simply those that passengers themselves throw away during their transit. These are usually quite well-controlled, especially at airports where there is a Environmental management system implemented. However, there are many other waste streams that pose a challenge to airport waste management, and perhaps we've never stopped to think about them.
What can an airport do if it seizes over a tonne of geological material (rocks) in just six months?
Bearing in mind the millions of people worldwide who go through the security checks to enter the departure lounge, we can imagine the variety of materials which, for various reasons, are confiscated at this point. Who hasn't had some personal hygiene product taken away at security checks? As we all know, current regulations require airline passengers to get rid of liquids, creams, gels, and aerosols in their hand luggage if they don't meet certain conditions, but what happens to all that confiscated material?
Generally, this material, which we shouldn't even consider waste, was disposed of in containers that were sealed and their contents destroyed. Some environmental associations drew attention to this bad practice, as some of these products, such as aerosols, must be segregated and managed in a specific way. On the other hand, let's not forget the value that many of these products have, such as creams or cosmetics, which we could consider luxury items. However, all of this is complicated to manage for reuse, as it would be necessary to check that the contents of each container actually contain what is specified.
It seems difficult to find the solution to this problem, but quite a few airports are already trying to do so by Signing of agreements with NGOs or associations so that these are tasked with segregating what can actually be used and properly managing what cannot be guaranteed to be utilised. This is the case of Menorca Airport, where Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea (AENA) signed with Cáritas a Agreement for managing items that do not comply with established regulations. However, even in these cases, beneficiaries encounter materials that they had not previously considered and which pose a challenge for their management. This is precisely what has happened in Menorca, an airport where last year, in just 6 months (March-October 2016), more than a tonne, 1,193 kilos, of geological material, including stones, sand, and even rocks, were confiscated. Passengers were attempting to take these as souvenirs in their luggage from beaches they had visited. This practice is also prohibited, as on a large scale, it can lead to the deterioration of the habitats from which they originate. In this case, the solution has been to classify them by composition, colour, and size, and they are being returned to beaches on the island with similar geological characteristics.
In my opinion, this type of regulation that leads to the generation of thousands of kilograms of objects worldwide, should be associated from the outset with the Implementation of a methodology for its management which allows for their valuation, recycling or correct disposal, in that order, although as we have already seen, unexpected materials will continue to appear, posing a challenge for their correct treatment.
