Sustainability

PROJECT 1: WASTE MANAGEMENT

• Our commitment to this project is to promote the Zero Waste attitude at our airports. In other words, our priority is not to generate waste, reduce it, reuse it, recycle and compost it. The main goal is to divert 90% of the waste generated at the airports of the Zurich Airport Brasil group from the landfill by 2025. For this, we have adopted procedures and techniques so that, in fact, non-generation and reduction occurs. Are they:
• Training and sensitization of the airport community on the intelligent management and correct handling of solid waste;
• Segregation of waste into three fractions (Recyclable, Organic and Non-Recyclable);
• Return of recyclable waste (plastics, paper, glass, aluminum cans, styrofoam, wood) to the production cycle, in various industrial recycling chains and through partnerships with associations of recyclable material collectors;
• Composting, with all food leftovers, napkins and coffee powder, generating by-product, called organic compost whose application is already used in the FA airfield's own garden and in the future in VIX and MEA;
• Adoption of the Co-Processing technique to reuse waste (fraction of waste that cannot be reused) such as, for example, toilet paper and disposable diapers from our airport toilets.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with the WASTE MANAGEMENT project, at least 3 goals referring to the Goal 12 | Responsible Consumption and Production. Are they:

• Goal 12.5 - Reducing waste generation with the practice of the 5R's;
• Goal 12.4 - Applying proper management in order to minimize negative impacts on human health and the environment;
• Goal 12.3 - reducing food waste along production chains. 

The objective of this project is to strengthen attitudes that replace the use of single-use disposable plastic packaging in the passenger terminal and with the entire administrative team at our airports. The desired goal is to ban straws, drink stirrers, cutlery, plates, cups and single-use disposable plastics by 2025. With this, we can encourage the development of returnable and more sustainable products, in addition to creating jobs and reducing logistics costs. And finally, to stimulate the demand for the development of new products with alternative raw materials.

Among the main actions that make up this project, the following can be highlighted:

• Guidance to Assignees regarding the prioritization of the use of returnable tableware and utensils for passengers;
• Adoption of offering utensils made separately from recyclable and easily degradable material, such as paper straws, wooden drink stirrers, paper cutlery bags, among others;
• No single-use disposable plastic packaging in employee pantries and cafeterias and, in return, the availability of returnable/reusable utensils for collective use.
• Delivery of reusable utensils (eg mug, thermos, cup, reusable bag, among others) to new employees at Zurich Airport Brasil;
• Use of bags made of recyclable and reusable material for shopping.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with this project USE OF ECO-EFFICIENT PACKAGING at least 1 goal referring to the Objective 12| Responsible Consumption and Production. Being her:
Goal 12.7 - promoting sustainable procurement practices.

In our terminals, the electricity purchased comes from clean and renewable sources, in addition to using only equipment and systems with high operational performance, but with low energy consumption. The goal is to maintain energy supply exclusively from clean and renewable sources.

The terminal's architectural project was designed to take advantage of natural lighting, it has a Building Management System (BMS), with high energy efficiency, through intelligent sensor control. Saving resources is one of the great advantages, since the system allows you to monitor electricity consumption, turning the lights and air conditioning on and off automatically, according to the presence of people in the environment, and adjusting the temperature to the real need. of the environment by creating savings measures for unoccupied areas of the building.
The lighting installed is exclusively with LED lamps. Every structure of our airports uses special glass to take advantage of natural light during the day and block part of the sun's rays, reducing energy expenditure with artificial light.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with the project SUSTAINABLE ENERGY at least 1 goal referring to the Goal 12 | Responsible Consumption and Production. Being her:
Goal 12.2 - Adopting sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with the project SUSTAINABLE ENERGY at least 1 goal referring to the Goal 7 | Affordable and Clean Energy. Being her:
Goal 7.a - Consuming energy from renewable sources and increasing energy efficiency.

This initiative provides for the reduction of potable water consumption at our airports, adopting technologies that allow rainwater collection, treatment and reuse. The goal is to use 100% of the rainwater that falls on the Terminal.

In addition to the adoption of intelligent systems to reduce drinking water consumption (eg use of aerators and flow reducers in faucets and leak monitoring sensors), the savings in drinking water at FLN and VIX Airports are directly proportional to the volume of pluviometric precipitation (rain) in the regions. With the construction of the new terminal in MEA, rainwater harvesting will also be adopted. Thus, the greater the volume of rain on the coverage of our Terminals, the greater the savings in drinking water, thanks to the rainwater treatment system for reuse.

Treated rainwater is used to irrigate gardens, flush toilets and other points that do not require drinking water.

The preservation of springs and estuaries around our airports is also guaranteed with the effluent treatment system, which operates 24 hours a day, following the parameters required by legislation. This attests that 100% of all effluent generated is captured and treated within the airport site and the release is only allowed if it meets the regulatory requirements defined by law.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with the project RATIONAL USE OF WATER at least 2 goals referring to the Objective 6 | Target availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation:

• Increasing the efficiency of water use in all sectors and adopting methods to minimize water scarcity;
• Improving water quality through reuse water treatment and reducing pollution from effluent discharge.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with the project RATIONAL USE OF WATER at least goal regarding Objective 14 | Life on Water. Being her:
- Target 14.1 - Preventing and reducing pollution by nutrients/pollutants in water bodies.

This project consists of operating our passenger terminals with a low carbon footprint, by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that not only accelerate global warming, but also potentiate climate change.

In January 2021, the airports of Florianópolis, Vitória and Macaé started the GHG inventory, whose purpose is to identify the most “polluting” equipment/processes and the annual amount of gases emitted by them. The information collected will serve as subsidies for us to define strategies for reducing and compensating for the gases released into the atmosphere given the operation of our airports.

In addition to reducing environmental impact, this project identifies opportunities for improvement and increased operational efficiency, reduces waste and encourages the development of new businesses, with embedded high technology. Examples of direct actions that contribute to a lower carbon footprint at the aerodrome and already in progress, we can highlight:

• Adoption of electric ramp vehicles/tractors;
• Control of fuel expenses of the operations fleet, security and fire fighting section;
• Modern refrigeration systems with lower emission of gases and free of Chlorine in its composition so that the ozone layer is not affected.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with the project NEUTRAL CARBON at least 1 goal referring to the Goal 9 | Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Being her:
Goal 9.4 - Modernizing the infrastructure, with increased efficiency in the use of resources and greater adoption of environmentally appropriate technologies and processes.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with the project NEUTRAL CARBON at least 1 goal referring to the Objective 11 | Sustainable Cities and Communities. Being her:
Goal 11.6 - reducing environmental impacts with attention to air quality, waste management and others.

Zurich Airport Brasil complies with the project NEUTRAL CARBON at least 2 goals referring to the Objective 13 | Action Against Global Climate Change. They are:
Goal 13.3 - Training and raising community awareness on global climate mitigation, adaptation and impact reduction
Goal 13.2 - Integrating climate change measures into institutional policies, strategies and planning.

Airports around the world have focused their efforts on environmental management policies, valuing socio-environmental responsibility and investing in innovative practices, and in Brazil it has been no different.

Agencies such as the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) have promoted initiatives to recognize environmental practices linked to the sustainability of air operations, such as the Sustainable Airport Project.

After several initiatives and good practices related to sustainability, Macaé Airport reached the highest score among the participants of the 2020 Edition of the Sustainable Airports Program, carried out by ANAC, within its aerodrome category, defined by number of passengers.

In addition to this great recognition in Macaé, the Floripa and Vitória Airport won the “Executive Class” seal. This means that we meet more than 50% of the criteria evaluated, within the three dimensions worked on: Externalities; 
Natural and Social and Environmental Resources.

Among the most punctuated global criteria, the following stand out: waste management, electricity management, water management, health and well-being management.

These titles reinforce our commitment to our values ​​and one of them is our commitment to the environment. 

In October 2019 the Floripa Airport received, in Bogotá, the title of Green Airport by the Airports Council International of Latin America and the Caribbean, considered the most important organization of airports in the world. This award was a recognition of the current innovative management applied to solid waste generated in the entire Airport complex.

When we took over Florianópolis International Airport, in January 2018, there was practically no waste management program. Therefore, in March 2018, we implemented a waste management program that encompasses the entire passenger path, from aircraft, passenger terminal, Boulevard 14/32 and cargo. 

In addition to sorting and recycling, we also send all organic waste generated within the airport site for composting. The organic compost is used in our vegetable garden to produce organic vegetables. What's more, we partnered with a cement company that, using advanced technology, transforms the so-called non-recyclable waste (reject) into energy. 

• Sustainable Habits Booklet