Irish carrier, Aer Lingus, has become the first airline to start segregating and recycling on-board waste arriving on short-haul flights into Ireland, including on its Manchester to Cork and Dublin routes.
The move is part of the airline’s sustainability ambitions, which include recycling 20% of on-board waste on Cork- and Dublin-bound flights by the end of 2023. Following the 2002 Foot and Mouth outbreak, European regulations governing international catering waste prevented on-board waste being recycled; however, Ireland’s Department of Agriculture has now confirmed that waste not contaminated by animal by-products would be exempt.
Aer Lingus trialled waste recycling from flights into Cork at the end of 2022 and into Dublin at the start of 2023. The airline now has ambitions to extend its recycling efforts to other destinations in Ireland, and for long-haul services.
Aer Lingus CEO, Lynne Embleton, said:
“Recycling on-board waste on short-haul flights into Dublin and Cork is another milestone on the airline’s focused sustainability agenda.
“We know from our customers that recycling is something the vast majority wish to see happen and this new on-board initiative complements other positive steps we are taking on our aircraft, including the use of more sustainable materials and reducing single use plastics on-board.
“Our on-board recycling initiative is one of a wide-ranging set of actions we are taking across Aer Lingus to drive sustainability at the airline, including investing in new fuel-efficient aircraft and investing in sustainable aviation fuel.”
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