Beating plastic pollution at Hamad International Airport

Hamad International Airport (DOH) is celebrating the UN’s World Environment Day by backing its goal to Beat Plastic Pollution.

Today’s event focuses on encouraging people and businesses around the world to review their plastic consumption and introduce a shift towards a circular economy.

The Qatari gateway notes that part of Hamad International Airport’s environment sustainability goals consists of waste management and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar

The airport notes that it is tackling its waste management processes, engaging with commercial stakeholders and government entities in order to adopt the best environmental standards that will have a positive impact on the environment.

Beating Plastic Pollution

Through an enhanced waste management system introduced by the airport, about 40% of the waste generated through the airport operations was reused or recycled in the fiscal year 2022 – 2023, including 736 tonnes of plastic waste, additionally the non-recyclable waste is used to produce electricity.

The Oryx Airport Hotel, situated at departures has replaced plastic with more sustainable solutions with water containers created from 76% vegetable origin replacing plastic bottled water, introduced bamboo guestroom cards, utilises recycled paper for all hotel collaterals and plastic hotel amenities substituted for more biodegradable materials.

Managing Airport Waste

To maintain the airport landscape features and requirements, organic fertilizer originating from recycled green waste is used, this was introduced as one of the initiatives from Hamad International Airport’s partnership with the Ministry of Municipality.

Through the airport’s dedicated wastewater treatment plant, 100% of the wastewater generated from the airport is reused for landscape irrigation, resulting in zero wastewater being discharged to the sea.

Hamad International Airport’s commitment to environmental protection and objective of zero to landfill has initiated processes to further enhance its waste management systems, resulting in over 1,200 tonnes of waste being diverted from landfill for further segregation, recycling and energy recovery, each month.

Energy Conservation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

When the airport was constructed, energy conservation was one of the environmental components considered in the build, to which the structural design allows energy conservation required for cooling and solar materials were chosen for the roof and walls installation.

Since then, Hamad International Airport says that it implemented multiple initiatives and environmental controls to further reduce energy within its daily operations such as cooling system optimisation, smart-metering, ambient air quality and noise monitoring and incorporating LED lighting to control and reduce carbon dioxide emissions at the airport.

The Doha gateway’s efforts to decrease its overall carbon dioxide emissions was recognised through the recent renewal of its ACI ACA Level-3 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation.

The Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) from Gulf Organization for Research & Development (GORD) granted a 4-star rating for six of the airport’s projects from its recent expansion plan which includes the ORCHARD, Oryx Garden Hotel and lounges at the North Plaza, Al Mourjan Business lounge – the Garden, the Remote Transfer Baggage Facility, Cargo Bridging Facility and the AVI Facility.

The airport claims to be “constantly engaging with airport stakeholders and commercial partners to reduce energy by adopting environmental solutions introduced by the airport”.

It adds that it is also “investing in the best and most reliable technologies in the world, to meet the business’ environmental objectives, in line with Qatar’s National Vision 2030”.