American Cargo reduces plastic waste equivalent of 8.6mn bottles
Carrier continues partnership with biodegradable plastic manufacturer BioNatur Plastics
American Airlines Cargo reduced long-term plastic waste by more than 150,000 lbs, the equivalent of 8.6 million water bottles, in 2023.
"This is a result of a continued relationship with BioNatur Plastics, launched by M&G Packaging, which manufactures a growing line of biodegradable plastic products for use in air cargo operations," says an official release from American.
The carrier began transitioning to BioNatur Plastics products at major U.S. hubs in early 2022, reducing long-term plastic waste by the equivalent of 6.4 million water bottles in the first year. "In 2023, American expanded its use of the biodegradable products beyond U.S. hubs to include regional domestic stations such as Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Honolulu International Airport and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport as well as internationally to Carrasco International Airport and Santiago International Airport in Latin America."
American plans to continue replacing traditional plastic used for stretch wrap and pallet covers with the BioNatur Plastics line, which is manufactured with a one percent load of an organic, food-safe proprietary additive that allows anaerobic bacteria to digest the plastic in a landfill, the release added. "Outside of a landfill, the plastic has an indefinite shelf life and performs exactly like traditional plastic products."
Greg Schwendinger, President, American Airlines Cargo says: “Sustainability is of paramount importance for us at American, and we are so pleased that our transition to BioNatur Plastics is one way we can implement real change in our cargo operations. We look forward to continuing our partnership with BioNatur Plastics as we unite in working toward a greener future.”
Charles Rick, President, BioNatur Plastics adds: “American is a leader in sustainability and we are proud to work with the cargo team to make the switch to our biodegradable and recyclable plastics. We look forward to even greater impact together in 2024.”
BioNatur biodegradable plastics will biodegrade under landfill conditions in only 8 to 12 years, and the end products are fully recyclable in normal waste collection streams, the release added.
