Waste

Target 2005/06: Increase the percentage of contact waste recycled and composted from 21 % to 24%

Performance against target
The percentage of contract waste recycled was increased from 20% in 2004/05 to 25% by the end of March 2006.

Our objectives

• Adopt an integrated approach to waste management
• Reduce waste and make best use of that produced
• Manage and minimise retail waste
• Manage waste through our supply chain

Our strategy 2005/06
A new waste strategy has been drafted for Heathrow for 2006-2011 and is due to be published later in 2006. The new strategy outlines how we will work towards achieving our 2010 objectives of recycling/composting 40% of airport waste and achieveing 0% growth in waste per passenger

In addition to recycling and waste minimisation, the new strategy focuses on ensuring 100% compliance with waste legislative requirements, construction waste and supply chain waste

The strategy will also provide a review of the past five years and progress made in recycling and waste management in general across the airport.

A new long term waste management contract for Heathrow will be signed in 2006.  Emphasis will be placed on recycling at the airport.

Our performance

Terminal 5
With Terminal 5 due to open in March 2008, we have been developing waste management processes for the new terminal. The scale of the buildings has posed a real challenge to develop  processes to collect, store and transport waste through the building in a safe and efficient manner. The agreed solutions will utilise a team of waste collectors to collect retail waste from designated areas within the building and transport it to the waste compactors, giving BAA more control of the waste closer to the point of production to improve segregation rates.

Hazardous waste
We have  reviewed waste compliance issues at the airport this year. The aimof the work was to provide assurance that BAA Heathrow remains compliant with all waste legislation and specifically the hazardous waste regulations that replaced the special waste regulations in July 2005.

The source, location, person responsible, storage, disposal route and required paperwork were identified and documented for each type of waste. Where required, additional containers were provided for segregating hazardous wastes and recyclables to ensure their correct storage. We can now be assured that the correct processes and facilities are in place across the airport for BAA waste.

An annual audit will be undertaken to ensure compliance is maintained in the future.

Increasing recycling
This year we exceeded our recycling target of 24% by 1%. This has been achieved by improving existing recycling services, such as glass and office paper collections and the post segregation activities at our waste contractors transfer station (cardboard and newspaper) after it has been removed from the site.

Waste charging
We have continued to work with producers of weighing technology to develop a waste compactor with swipe card activated weighing technology, to make waste charging easier. Following initial trials at Stansted airport we have made further improvements to this and now believe we have a system that will work effectively at any multi-occupied facility. This will allow the landlord to charge each individual producer for the waste that they produce.

Environmentally Sensitive Materials Strategy
We have developed an Environmentally Sensitive Materials Strategy, currently in draft. Materials such as timber, concrete and hazardous chemicals are addressed with accompanying goals.

Legislation
2005/06 has been a year of significant legislative change, affecting the waste industry.  Specifically these are:

1. Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 (came into force 16 July 2005) - BAA has carried an awareness programme with our stakeholders to reinforce the policy that all hazardous wastes must be managed by the producer. This has included rewording and reissuing the airport waste notices, placing information signs at compactors sites and carrying out an internal hazardous waste audit.

2. Animal By-Products Regulations – Category 3 Wastes (came into force 31s December 2005) – This specifically applies to certain types of raw meat and fish wastes, and requires that these wastes aren’t placed into landfill. In order to comply with this legislation BAA has implemented a segregated collection process for retail wastes.

Waste Data