A new scheme from Qatar’s flagship airport will see the facility’s waste repurposed as organic compost for landscaping activities.
Hamad International Airport (HIA) has begun making organic compost from green waste generated during landscaping activities. The compost is then used at the airport as fertiliser for landscaping, reducing the use of synthetic chemical fertilisers. This initiative intends to generate about 3,979 tons of organic compost a year, for use both by the airport and third parties.
This initiative is in line with HIA’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed with the Ministry of Municipality, to modernise and enhance the airport’s waste management process. It also takes HIA a step closer to achieving Qatar’s National Vision 2030.
Working alongside the Municipality, HIA aims to achieve sustainable development of its waste treatment and recycling, which includes waste sorting from the source point, to ultimately prevent any of its waste ending up in landfill. The MoU also focuses on developing an integrated system for waste separation by safely transporting, recycling and disposing waste, whilst promoting environmental awareness and a culture of sustainability at the airport.
Michael McMillan, vice president facilities management at HIA, said: “Throughout our young history, we have continued to showcase our commitment to environmental sustainability – from improving carbon efficiency to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing wastewater – sustainability has proudly been at the forefront of what we do since our inception. This initiative is another milestone towards achieving our targets and cementing our place as leaders in environmental sustainability within the aviation industry”.
