Glasgow Airport to tackle single-use plastics with reusable bottle initiative
Posted: 8 February 2019 | International Airport Review | No comments yet
With more than 5,300 employees at Glasgow Airport, single-use plastics are a problem, but the new water bottle initiative aims to reduce this dependency.
Kirsty Webster, Glasgow Airport’s Sustainability Assurance Manager, said: “There’s a heightened awareness of single-use plastics and the devastating effects they are having on our environment and oceans. As a responsible business we are committed to reducing our environmental impact. We do this by offering a number of re-usable solutions as part of our own drive to reduce single-use plastics across the airport. Many of our catering outlets within the terminal have already moved away from the use of plastic straws and we are keen to keep pushing this forward. The introduction of the reusable bottles builds on the other waste management initiatives we already have in place, including the provision of free water refill stations in the airport. Our retailers will also fill up water bottles on request.”
In 2014, Glasgow Airport formed an action group involving all retailers to develop a Charter which became known as ‘Keep It Clean Behind the Scenes’. Through the Charter, more than 600 retail staff from over 30 businesses receive regular training on how to manage waste effectively and increase recycling.
A single plastic bottle will take 450 years to degrade. According to Zero Waste Scotland, approximately 15,000 tonnes of plastic bottles are currently sent to landfill each year across the country.
Jill Farrell, Chief Operating Officer, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Single-use plastic bottles are one of the most recognisable symbols of the throwaway culture we live in. We applaud Glasgow Airport’s decision to hand out re-usable water bottles as these will give their staff the joy of using them again and again, while saving single-use plastic bottles from ending up in the landfill. If we are serious about putting an end to single-use plastic pollution, then we must find sustainable alternatives, such as re-usable water bottles, and recycle as much as we can. Eco-friendly alternatives such as these not only help to protect the environment, but also save consumers money.”
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