AGS Airports has become the first UK airport group to trial a new Oxo-Biodegradable 100ml security bag. The bags will be available free of charge to passengers in the security areas at Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports.
By introducing the biodegradable bags, AGS says it will remove more than two million single-use plastic bags annually across the group. The bags begin to degrade over a period of between 17 and 24 months, leaving no plastic residue, only biomass. Each bag can also be reused and recycled prior to the beginning of the degrading period.
Mark Johnston, chief operating officer, AGS Airports, said, “We are proud to be the first group to trial these new Oxo-Biodegradable security bags, which will significantly reduce single-use plastic consumption across our three airports.
“Finding a suitable alternative that met both our security and operational requirements while retaining the necessary resilience the bags require was a challenge, so we’re really pleased to be able to trial a product that can not only be re-used and recycled, but also provides our passengers with the assurance that they are also supporting our efforts to support the environment.”
The bags are supplied by Enviro-Point, a specialist in sustainable technologies. Graeme Stewart, chief executive at the company, noted, “Oxo-Biodegradable bags provide a ‘fail safe’ should the item not be recycled, as the product begins to Oxo Bio-degrade automatically wherever oxygen is present and will be completely bio-assimilated after 24 months.”