18 / IN DEBATE
Wasting away? Sustainability is creeping back towards to the top of the agenda. April Waterston debates cabin waste priorities with Anne De Hauw Airlines are facing so many challenges post-pandemic
SHOULD REDUCING CABIN WASTE REALLY BE A PRIORITY IN THE POSTPANDEMIC RECOVERY ERA?
It definitely should be, from whatever angle we look at it. Firstly, passengers are more eco-conscious post pandemic and expect a response to climate change. Secondly, the airline industry has reconfirmed its commitment to cutting CO2 emissions in half by 2050, reducing noise reduction ánd managing waste responsibly. And thirdly, from a global perspective, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) has a specific target to cut global food waste in half by 2030, and is a fantastic opportunity for airlines. ADH
WHAT ARE THE FIRST STEPS NEEDED TO REDUCE INFLIGHT WASTE? We need an on-demand consumption ADH model (pre-order), enabled by digitising
the end-to-end experience front- and back-end. This way we only load the products that will actually be consumed. Then airlines, airports and their service providers must collaborate and work with regulators to simplify inflight service and standardise the materials used to generate opportunities for a circular eco-system. In this respect, the IAWMA (International Aviation Waste Management Association) is trying to move the needle. It is a non-profit organisation set up after doing global research (funded by Federal Aviation Administration), which clearly showed: a lack of standards and programmes for travel, a lack of targeted waste collection streams and advocacy around international waste and a lack of collaboration. It aims to share best practices. IS GLOBAL STANDARDISATION ACHIEVABLE? Rome wasn’t built in a day but ADH someone had to lay the foundations. The IAWMA is advocating industry standardisation and has launched the Aviation
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IN debate Anne De Hauw v9.indd 18
8/18/21 05:36 PM
