Enhancing cabin waste recycling processes

Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), in collaboration with Cathay Pacific, has enhanced arrangements for the collection and recycling of plastic bottles and aluminium cans from inbound Cathay Pacific flights. The comingled recyclables are separated in the arriving aircraft and then sorted on-site by AAHK’s contractor at Airside Waste Station. Subsequently, plastic bottles are transported to a local plastic recycling facility, New Life Plastic Ltd, where they are converted into valuable raw materials to be used in the recycled plastics manufacturing sector. Compacted aluminium cans also have high values with many recycling options.

The pilot has collected around seven tonnes of plastic bottles and three tonnes of aluminium cans since its launch in April 2024. This initiative not only showcases strong collaborative efforts of airport business partners but also serves as a good example for other airlines and service providers looking to enhance their recycling efforts.