Aer Lingus is to start onboard recycling on short-haul flights into Dublin and Cork after successful trials from flights into Cork at the end of 2022 and into Dublin at the start of 2023. The move will make Aer Lingus the first airline flying into Ireland to bring in on board recycling and the current plan is to extend the recycling to long-haul services too once the scheme has been successfully established on short-haul services. It has a target of recycling 720 tonnes of onboard waste on flights into Dublin and Cork by 2025.
In 2002 European regulations around international catering waste were brought in following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth and these regulations did not allow the recycling of on-board waste. However, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed that recycling of waste coming into Ireland can be recycled as long as animal by-products do not contaminate it.
The airline’s chief executive, Lynne Embleton, said the recycling of on-board waste is “another milestone” in the airline’s sustainability agenda. She stated, “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.” IAG, who own Aer Lingus as well as British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, has set a target for the airline group to have net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It aims to achieve this target by introducing more fuel-efficient aircraft and investing in sustainable aviation fuel.
