A Life Cycle Approach to Waste Management in the UK Aviation Sector

Abstract

To align with the goals of the Paris Agreement, both the aviation sector and the waste management sector require rapid reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. Bioenergy and biofuels could be used to reduce the emissions of the aviation sector, and where waste is used as the feedstock, this could simultaneously reduce the emissions from the disposal and management of waste. Waste volumes generated from aviation activities can be substantial, due to the movement of passengers and goods. In particular, waste generated during flights from items such as unused food or packaging, otherwise known as International Catering Waste (ICW), is frequently subject to strict disposal requirements including landfill or incineration due to the potential presence of animal diseases. This waste could also provide an opportunity to generate useful energy. This thesis found that there is potential to use waste generated at airports as a feedstock for bioenergy and biofuel generation, using Manchester Airport as a case study. It also modelled the volumes of ICW generated at a UK scale, finding that the national volume generated was a similar size to the volume of household waste in a small city, such as Aberdeen. Using Life Cycle Assessment, the environmental impact of sending this waste to landfill was found to be significant due to the high organic fraction of the waste. It was found that incineration and gasification could provide further reductions compared to landfill, although gasification is not currently permitted. However, implementing recycling of materials and anaerobic digestion of the food waste were found to provide even opportunities bigger emissions reductions and these should be prioritised. Aluminium recycling was found to provide a significant contribution to the emissions reductions, and companies should prioritise actions that keep this material in the system instead of destroying or disposing of it. Diverting the food waste from landfill was also found to be key to lower emissions. This thesis combines methods such as economic assessment, geospatial analysis, risk assessment and Life Cycle Assessment. It provides the first detailed estimate of ICW volumes, compositions, and impact at a national scale, filling a current research gap. It also provides key recommendations for actions for policymakers and industry stakeholders to enable sustainable aviation waste management strategies.

Date of Award	21 Feb 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Ben Parkes (Co Supervisor), Nigel Scrutton (Co Supervisor) & Andrew Welfle (Main Supervisor)