Airlines/Recycling Graded - United and US Air Flunk, But Delta, Virgin and Southwest Get Good Marks
US Airlines Generate Over 880 Million Tons of Waste Annually - 75 Percent of Which Could Be Recycled... But Only 20 Percent Is; Consumers Urged to Factor Recycling Policies Into Air Travel Decisions.
Which airlines are taking steps to reduce the vast amount of waste generated each year by the industry? Delta, Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic and Southwest are doing the best job, according to the new report 'What Goes Up Must Go Down: The Sorry State of Recycling in the Airline Industry' from Green America's consumer watchdog Web site ResponsibleShopper.org (http://www.ResponsibleShopper.org). The report also shows that United and US Airways are doing the worst job when it comes to recycling.
Overall, airlines could recycle nearly 500 million more tons of waste each year (including 250 million tons of in-flight waste). While airlines acknowledge the importance of recycling waste, no airline recycles all the major recyclables: aluminum cans, glass, plastic, and paper. No airline has a comprehensive program for minimizing or composting food waste or waste from snack packages, provides good public information about their recycling program, or reports out on progress in relation to any stated goals. In addition, all airlines provide over-packaged snacks and meals and none of the airlines are working with manufacturers to reduce this waste.
The Green America airline recycling rankings are (from best to worst): Delta Airlines, Virgin America, Virgin Atlantic, Southwest Airlines, Continental Airlines, Jet Blue, American Airlines, British Airways, Air Tran, United Airlines, and US Airways.
Green America Responsible Shopper Lead Researcher Victoria Kreha said: "For concerned consumers looking to spend their travel dollars wisely, airline waste may be the ultimate example of
