Overview
In March of 2021, The Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Airport kicked off a program that seek to reduce food waste in its terminals. Since then, the airport has diverted over 120,000 pounds of trash from landfills to compositing centers and regional farms. Since opening in 1974, Dallas-Fort Worth airport has been recognized as the first and largest airport in the world to be designated “carbon-neutral” in 2016. It has been lauded multiple times over the years for its sustainability efforts and was recognized by the Airports Council International (ACI) in 2020 as the first airport to reach 4+ level in the ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation program. Now, with a goal to be a zero-waste facility (defined as 90% of waste diverted from landfills) by 2040, it is turning its environmental efforts towards the reduction of food waste.
Background and History
DFW certainly is not the first airport in the country to have a composting program. Thirty percent of airports in a recent study conducted by The Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) report participating in an organic materials collection program. Concerns about landfill capacity in North Central Texas spurred the Dallas Fort-Worth airport to look for waste diversion tactics. In 2019, 10.8 million tons of trash were sent to landfills in North Texas, the most out of the 24 regions in the state. In 2021, it was reported that DFW airport created 25,000 tons of waste (each passenger is estimated to generate a pound of waste), which led to about $2.5 million spent in disposal efforts. The airport projects that in 2024 waste haul costs will increase by 27% of their 2020 costs. To save money and preserve their environmental goals, the airport agreed to explore alternatives. Because a waste audit revealed that approximately 25% of their waste was organic, the airport chose to focus on creating a composting program.
Implementation
The composting program is a bioproduct of the North Star Sustainability initiatives that the airport laid out for itself. These six initiatives focus on 1) Water and Biodiversity, 2) Climate Action, 3) Circular Economy, 4) Health and Safety, 5) Energy Performance, 6) Equity. In 2021, DFW airport began executing a contract with Turn Compost. Twenty- five restaurants across three of the airport’s five terminals- A, D, and E- have participated so far in the program. Expansion to all terminals is expected by December 2022. The airport states that any new restaurants must be willing to participate in the composting program before being awarded a contract.
Turn Compost is responsible for sorting, collecting, and transporting services. Turn also provides employee education on proper organic waste disposal techniques. This includes identifying compostable materials from everyday trash and teaching employees proper sorting measures. Turn has distributed food waste from the airport to over 7 facilities and farms, in addition to various school gardens in the metroplex. DFW’s Enterprise Sustainability Program Manager, Sarah Ziomek, stated in an interview to the Dallas Regional Chamber that one the biggest takeaways from the program’s implementation has been the need for increased education regarding organic vs. inorganic materials, such as determining whether biodegradable packaging is compostable. The program plans to expand in the future to other airport facilities, such as offices and hotels.
Background and History
DFW certainly is not the first airport in the country to have a composting program. Thirty percent of airports in a recent study conducted by The Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) report participating in an organic materials collection program. Concerns about landfill capacity in North Central Texas spurred the Dallas Fort-Worth airport to look for waste diversion tactics. In 2019, 10.8 million tons of trash were sent to landfills in North Texas, the most out of the 24 regions in the state. In 2021, it was reported that DFW airport created 25,000 tons of waste (each passenger is estimated to generate a pound of waste), which led to about $2.5 million spent in disposal efforts. The airport projects that in 2024 waste haul costs will increase by 27% of the
Implementation
The composting program is a bioproduct of the North Star Sustainability initiatives that the airport laid out for itself. These six initiatives focus on 1) Water and Biodiversity, 2) Climate Action, 3) Circular Economy, 4) Health and Safety, 5) Energy Performance, 6) Equity. In 2021, DFW airport began executing a contract with Turn Compost. Twenty- five restaurants across three of the airport’s five terminals- A, D, and E- have participated so far in the program. Expansion to all terminals is expected by December 2022. The airport states that any new restaurants must be willing to participate in the composting program before being awarded a contract.
Turn Compost is responsible for sorting, collecting, and transporting services. Turn also provides employee education on proper organic waste disposal techniques. This includes identifying compostable materials from everyday trash and teaching employees proper sorting measures. Turn has distributed food waste from the airport to over 7 facilities and farms, in addition to various school gardens in the metroplex. DFW’s Enterprise Sustainability Program Manager, Sarah Ziomek, stated in an interview to the Dallas Regional Chamber that one the biggest takeaways from the program’s implementation has been the need for increased education regarding organic vs. inorganic materials, such as determining whether biodegradable packaging is compostable. The program plans to expand in the future to other airport facilities, such as offices and hotels.