ITA Airways recycles paper on board
ITA Airways, SEA Milan Airports and Comieco are launching a new project dedicated to paper recycling in air transport, with the aim of making even one of the least visible phases of the travel experience more sustainable: the management of waste produced on board.
The initiative starts with flights to and from Milan Linate connected to Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris and introduces specific separate collection for paper packaging used during on-board service. Among the materials involved are cups and napkins, cardboard packaging and paper bags, which will be separated from other waste directly on board the aircraft.
For passengers, the project is a concrete sign of the evolution of air travel towards more responsible practices. Even everyday objects during the flight, such as a glass or cardboard packaging, can in fact be sent to a dedicated recovery path, helping to reduce the environmental impact of air transport operations.
The new process requires that paper materials are collected in dedicated bags already during the flight. Once on the ground, SEA Milan Airports integrates this flow into the airport's operational activities, taking care of the delivery, logistical management and sending of paper to authorized plants for proper treatment and recycling.
Comieco, the National Consortium for the Recovery and Recycling of Cellulose-based Packaging, supports the project with technical guidelines for the correct separation of materials and with monitoring activities for the quality of the collection. The goal is to make the system as efficient as possible and encourage the dissemination of good practices throughout the supply chain.
The first phase of the project will last five months. Subsequently, it is planned to extend it to other airports and expand the types of materials collected, in line with the sustainability programs of the partners involved.
Through this initiative, ITA Airways, SEA and Comieco strengthen their commitment to the circular economy in air transport and demonstrate how sustainable and replicable solutions can be introduced even in a complex operating context.
The project also contributes to the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, in particular with regard to responsible consumption and production, waste reduction, recycling of materials, containment of emissions associated with the disposal and production of new paper, and collaboration between companies, airport managers and supply chain consortia.
