At the 10th meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensive and Deepening Reform just held on September 9, the "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Control of Plastic Pollution" was deliberated and adopted, which clearly calls for an active response to plastic pollution and effective and orderly control of plastic pollution.

For a long time, the aviation industry has been regarded as the industry with the highest carbon footprint, and the environmental cost of airport operation is a large part of it. With mankind entering the era of ecological civilization, promoting the high-quality development of aviation infrastructure and green transformation, the reduction of airport plastic pollution is undoubtedly a very favorable measure.

According to CBS reports, San Francisco International Airport in August this year introduced a ban on the sale of plastic bottled water in convenience stores, restaurants and vending machines at the airport. The ban began on August 20 and the airport is committed to becoming the world's first "zero waste airport" by 2021.

Americans discard more than 30 million tons of plastic each year, of which only 8% is recycled. Most of the rest will eventually be landfilled and gradually leached into soil and water, creating a negative environmental impact for hundreds of years and thousands of years. To cope with this impact, San Francisco introduced a law in 2014 banning the sale of disposable plastic bottled water on the municipal-owned property. This San Francisco Airport policy is also based on the Act. However, at present, the policy is only applicable to airports, not to inbound and outbound airlines.

According to a report in JIEMIAN, San Francisco Airport has an annual passenger throughput of about 58 million people. Doug Yakel, the spokesman for the airport, said: "We are the first airport to implement this adjustment independently. We are the pioneer in the aviation industry, hoping to break through the boundaries of sustainable development. At present, suppliers of San Francisco Airport sell about 4 million disposable bottled water every year.

The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation suggests that Beijing's airports, whether Beijing Capital International Airport or Beijing Daxing International Airport, should learn from such international experience and consider adopting similar green measures.

On the occasion of the opening of Beijing Daxing International Airport, the CBCGDF recommended that Beijing Daxing International Airport ban the sale of disposable bottled water and build a green and low-carbon aviation infrastructure. This is of great significance. It will effectively reduce tens of millions of plastic bottles every year and vigorously improve the ecological environment. It is suggested that the relevant departments should consider it.

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/9912.html

By / Li Xue