Waste Management
Water Stewardship
Waste Management
Liquid Collection Stations
The Airports Authority deployed liquid collection stations in high-traffi c security areas at Dulles International Airport in response to waste audit fi ndings that discarded liquids accounted for 21 percent of the overall terminal waste stream by weight and 57 percent of the weight at TSA screening points.
The initial rollout included 12 mobile liquid collection stations in fi ve security checkpoint locations across the East Mezzanine, West Mezzanine, employee screening area and the Federal Inspection Services facility.
In 2024, these liquid collection stations continued reducing the weight of the municipal solid waste stream and the resulting environmental impacts and cost associated with transportation and disposal, as well as minimizing the contamination of recyclable loads, improving working conditions for custodial staff and providing effi cient liquid disposal options for travelers prior to security screening.
After the resounding success at Dulles International Airport, the Airports Authority sited 21 liquid collection stations at Reagan National Airport, including 17 across the North and South checkpoints in Terminal 2 and 4 at the Terminal 1 checkpoint.
According to a pilot study estimating the average fi ll level of the units, these stations together collect roughly 224 gallons of liquid on a typical travel day at Reagan National. Extrapolated over a year’ s time, this amounts to over 10,000 gallons of liquid waste diverted from the trash and recyclable loads at Reagan National annually.
Donate, Don’ t Discard Program
The Airports Authority’ s Donate, Don’ t Discard campaign aims to reduce waste by encouraging the recycling, reuse and repurposing of items from Airports Authorityoperations.
In March 2024, the Airports Authority introduced the Food Recovery Program at Dulles International Airport. Designed to reduce food waste and help combat hunger, the program provides a convenient, organized system for airport concessionaires, airline kitchens and other vendors to safely redistribute surplus food. Although still in its pilot phase, the program has already di-verted over 100 pounds of food and water from landfi lls over two proof-of-concept collection events, donating it instead to Loudoun Hunger Relief.
In April 2024, the Airports Authority began the Toiletry Donation Program at Reagan National Airport. A team led by the Offi ce of Regulatory Compliance and Community Engagement collected gently used and unopened toiletries over the 3.4-ounce limit at Terminal 2 security checkpoints to divert them from municipal waste disposal. The items were then donated to a com-munity organization, shelter, and non-profi t for distribution to those in need. Organizations that received these donations in 2024 included Northwest Community Food Pantry, Path Forward Virginia, and Bethany House of Northern Virginia. Since the program’ s implementation, the Airports Authority has donated 5,325 items and diverted more than 2,020 pounds of waste from landfi lls.
The benefi ciary organizations of the Donate, Don’ t Discard Program serve hundreds of needy families in the greater Washington, D. C. area each week with food, cleaning supplies and hygiene items.
Water Stewardship
DONATE Don’ t Discast
At the Airports Authority, our commitment to environmental stewardship includes comprehensive management of water use and water quality across Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport. Responsible water management is essential to our mission of operational excellence and regulatory compliance.
Water Use and Efficiency
As part of our Energy and Sustainability Plan, we continue to assess opportunities to enhance water effi ciency. Low-fl ow fi xtures are in place in many areas, including our restrooms. We are actively identifying additional opportunities to conserve water through the integration of smart metering systems and other innovation solutions. These efforts support long-term goals for indoor and outdoor water use reduction.
A key component of this strategy is our aircraft deicing fl uid( ADF) recovery program. In 2024, over 65,000 gallons of glycol were successfully recovered at Reagan National and Dulles International Airports. This recovered fl uid is collected through specialized infrastructure and managed in a manner that prevents contamination of stormwater and local water bodies.
By leveraging best management practices and investing in sustainable infrastructure, the Airports Authority is proud to play a role in safeguarding regional water resources and advancing responsible airport operations.
SUSTAINABILITY | 2024 IMPACT REPORT 11
METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON AIRPORTS AUTHORITY