Article 9 March 2023

We’re Flying High

We’re excited to announce that we have won a new contract with Bristol Airport to deliver waste management services on-site for three years, with the option of extending for a further two.

Our team will be managing the airport’s waste, sorting around 2,200 tonnes per year ready for disposal.  The types of waste will include mixed recycling, international catering waste from flights, hazardous waste, and passenger search waste items.

In line with our commitment to Plan Zero, we’ll be adopting sustainable recycling methods wherever possible, to minimise the airport’s impact on the environment.

Bristol Airport also operates a ‘zero waste to landfill’ strategy, meaning the amount of waste ending up in landfill is reduced to zero through the recycling processes. We’ll be supporting this initiative by taking non-recyclable waste off-site and sending it to an energy recovery centre that converts it into renewable energy, powering local homes and businesses.

We’ll also be working with the airport to reduce carbon from the waste process, for example, collection of food waste will be undertaken by a specialist vehicle that both collects and runs-on commercial food waste. Its total carbon footprint is around 90% lower than a diesel equivalent.

Our suppliers will include local businesses, charities, community groups, and social enterprise organisations. For example, rather than using traditional methods of collecting wood in skips, we’ll be working with a supply partner that gives workplace opportunities to disadvantaged people who collect, recycle, and remanufacture wood waste into new products, like tables and bookcases.

We also supply baggage handling services at Bristol Airport and at a number of aviation hubs across the country, including Heathrow, Birmingham, London City, London Stansted and Belfast City Airports. In addition to this, we also provide waste management services to Manchester and East Midlands airport.

Michael Taylor, Managing Director, Mitie Waste, said:

“Aligning our significant experience in the aviation sector and our ‘Resource not Waste’ approach, we are bringing sustainability to the top of the waste agenda on this contract. We look forward to working with Bristol Airport and the local community to deliver safe and sustainable waste management services to the busiest airport in the South West.”

James Shearman, Head of Sustainability, Bristol Airport said:

“We are delighted to be working with Mitie on waste management. Bristol Airport is committed to embedding sustainability principles into the way we work, the way we develop and the way we collaborate with our suppliers.

“Our focus is on continual improvement, embracing new and innovative ways of working, and this will continue with Mitie on waste management services using sustainable recycling processes where possible.”