“We hope that passengers will actively participate in the sorting of plastic at the airport so that we can recycle plastic more efficiently. Plastic bottles and other plastic rubbish are easy to sort, as we have introduced dedicated collection containers for them,” says Mikko Viinikainen, Finavia’s Vice President of Sustainability and Environment.
Juice cups, beverage bottles and the plastic packaging of snacks are some of the biggest categories of plastic waste generated at the airport. Sorting requires a bit of effort for a single passenger, but it has a major impact when it comes to the big picture. Normally, tens of thousands of passengers use the airport every day.
By sorting all the rubbish and plastics in the containers reserved for them, everyone can contribute to sustainable development. In addition to plastic, materials such as paper, cardboard, metal and glass are also collected at Helsinki Airport for reuse. Biowaste is also collected.
According to Viinikainen, plastic was already being collected at Helsinki Airport. The sorting of plastic in passenger spaces has now been made easier so that Finavia can recover a significantly larger amount of plastic than before.
The separate collection of plastics strengthens the airport’s circular economy and reduces the strain on the environment.
“In addition to material recycling, Finavia’s maintenance equipment at all airports uses renewable diesel made from waste and leftovers. This is part of our circular economy measures and our efforts to reduce our carbon emissions,” explains Viinikainen.
“When it comes to buying new equipment and furniture, we also recycle machines, furniture and vehicles from the busiest airports to others in the airport network. Well-maintained special equipment can be used for a long time.”
“Successful recycling requires a little effort from everyone. Finavia is not able to do this alone, but everyone using the airport can make a difference by putting their own rubbish in the correct collection containers.”
