Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland is to collect used cooking oil generated by its 50 hospitality partners, which will then be used as raw material to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or other renewable products.
This initiative forms part of the airport’s sustainability project Solution Zero, which was launched in partnership with Fraport USA and cooking oil collection company Mahoney Environmental to support zero-waste, zero-cost operations at the airport. In 2020, Fraport engaged Mahoney Environmental to conduct a study of used cooking oil collection and recycling for the entire concessions program. The study included the use of equipment, time-and-motion analytics and overall efficiency measures.
Gary Gilliard, a vice president at Fraport USA, noted, “The result was a sustainability program that will revolutionize how used cooking oil collection will operate at BWI Marshall Airport now and for the future.”
Dave Kimball, president and CEO of Mahoney Environmental, said, “We are excited to be working with another premier US airport. Our used cooking oil collection systems and processes are specifically designed to eliminate safety concerns for restaurant employees who work with hot oils. This new project will also enable BWI Marshall Airport to become more sustainable.”
Mike Mullaney, president and CEO of Fraport USA, stated, “Solution Zero exemplifies the kinds of initiatives that set Fraport apart as an industry leader and innovator. We set the bar very high to maximize airport efficiencies and create a best-in-class passenger experience.”
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