Iberia cuts down on 68.5 tonnes of plastic
Iberia has revealed details of its eco-friendly initiatives that have led to 68.5 tonnes less plastic being loaded aboard its aircraft each year.
Paper has replaced plastic for wrapping blankets and duvets, the plastic packaging of some items in long-haul business class toilet kits have been eliminated, headphones are no longer wrapped in plastic and paper drinking straws have replaced plastic ones.
As of September, the plastic wrapping of children’s kits on long-haul flights will also be eliminated; plastic swizzle sticks for beverages have been replaced with bamboo ones and bags used for collecting and storing soiled linen, blankets and pillows are now thinner.
Plastic use on the ground has also been reduced dramatically at Iberia’s Premium Lounges in the Adolfo Surez Madrid Barajas Airport, where returnable glass bottles have replaced cans and plastic containers, and suppliers have been asked to use bulk formats for many goods.
This has led to a reduction of nearly one million cans and 200,000 plastic containers, or 23.5 tonnes of cans and 6.5 tonnes of plastic every year
Wherever possible, Iberia re-uses plastic items, such as the bags used to collect and store cabin linen, blankets, etc. to reduce the impact of these products on the environment.
Reduction of Plastics on Board
|
Initiatives |
Reduction of Plastic (TN.) |
|
Blankets and duvets wrapped in a paper strip instead of plastic |
34 |
|
Long-haul Business Class toilet kit items without plastic wrapping |
1 |
|
Headphones not wrapped in plastic |
4 |
|
Children’s kit offered on long-haul flights no longer come in plastic bags |
1 |
|
Bamboo swizzle sticks have replaced plastic ones |
2.5 |
|
Thinner plastic bags used to collect and store cabin linen, blankets, etc.. |
22 |
|
Paper drinking straws have replaced plastic ones |
4 |
|
Total |
68.5 |
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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