Airport concessions developer Airmall USA has partnered with Greenlight Biofuels to recycle waste cooking oil from tenants in the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport’s concession program and turn it into biodiesel.
The recycling program shows the key role industries can play in promoting energy independence, says Jim Kingdon, president of Greenlight Biofuels.
On average, every 100 gallons of processed oil is equivalent to 70 gallons of biodiesel, which can offset up to 1,212 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, the companies say.
In other examples of airports implementing environmental initiatives, Miami International Airport has expanded its recycling program to include glass, plastic and metal containers, along with paper and cardboard materials currently collected only in MIA’s office areas. And earlier this year the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) hired a herd of goats to provide sustainable vegetation management at O’Hare International Airport.