Airlines
Los Angeles World Airports Prohibits Sale of Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles
As part of its ambitious sustainability plan to minimize plastic waste at LAWA facilities and progress towards zero waste, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has banned the sale of single-use plastic water bottles at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
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According to the guidelines, single-use plastic water bottles must be replaced with containers made of sustainable alternatives, such as recyclable aluminium or glass, by LAWA and firms having lease or concession agreements at LAX and VNY. The policy also covers vending machine providers and airport activities in addition to restaurants, concessions, and lounges.
The policy applies to pre-packaged single-use plastic bottles of all sizes that contain non-carbonated, unflavored purified water, spring, mineral, artesian, well, or tap water. It also applies to bottles that contain electrolyte-enhanced water. Onboard bottled water is not subject to this rule.
In order to ensure that travelers had easy access to drinking water in advance of the ban on single-use plastic water bottles, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power collaborated with LAWA to build additional hydration stations across LAX’s terminals. The LAWA Facilities Management Division currently looks after the hydration stations, and as part of a routine maintenance programme, they are inspected and repaired.
The LAWA Sustainability Action Plan includes plans for LAX and Van Nuys Airport to achieve net zero in the following areas by the year 2045: no potable water consumed for non-potable uses, and zero carbon emissions from LAWA operations. Waste reduction and water management are just two of the plan’s key components. By 2045, LAWA also intends to use only renewable energy.
