Emirates has recycled more than 500,000 kilograms of plastic and glass over the course of 2022.
The airline says it collects discarded bottles onboard for repurposing and cabin crew work to separate glass & plastic bottles that are sent to a recycling plant in Dubai.
The airline said it collected 500,000 kilograms of plastic in 2022, almost the same weight as a fully loaded Emirates flagship A380 aircraft.
Recycled glass is sent to glass manufacturers in the UAE to include in their batch mix for new bottles.
Plastic bottles are cleaned, chopped into flakes, melted into pellets, and sent to manufacturers to make other plastic products.
Thanks to this, Emirates and Emirates Flight Catering divert thousands of kilograms of glass and plastic away from landfill each year.
The glass and plastic recycling initiative onboard was suggested by the environmentally conscious Emirates Cabin Crew in 2019. The proposal was well-received and implemented within weeks.
Emirates has several other initiatives which focus on repurposing plastic or using sustainable materials where possible.
This includes Emirates blankets which are made from recycled plastic and Emirates children’s toys made from sustainably sourced materials.
Also included are Emirates reusable onboard amenity kits, wooden tea and coffee stirrers, paper straws and inflight retail bags made using wood and paper from responsibly managed forests.
For more information, visit Emirates.com.
