Airports and airlines all over the country have made green strides this year, but there’s another thing that the US Environmental Protection Agency would like them to step up – their de-icing methods.

Currently, most airports spray a large amount of chemicals on each plane before take-off to rid it of ice and snow for safety reasons. The chemicals run off the plane, onto the ground, and eventually into nearby waterways. While the ingredients in the spray (propylene glycol and ethylene glycol) are technically safe for humans, they aren’t safe for animals, and create “dead zones” in the water that cuts off breathing for all affected marine life.

While not all airports in the country produce such waste, most of the busy ones do. Some hard-hitters that are on the EPA’s list are New York’s JFK International and LaGuardia, Chicago O’Hare and Boston Logan.
The EPA isn’t happy about this, and wants it to change. It’s proposing methods for each airport to reduce 20-22 percent of the runoff that ends up in streams and waterways. Larger airports are encouraged to use de-icing pads, smaller airports are encouraged to use a glycol recovery vehicle (a vacuum), and each airport is expected to collect the runoff. Once it’s been gathered, the EPA would like the chemicals to be treated so it can be safely disposed.

In a time where green is a trending issue, airports are certainly under pressure to step up their values and practices, especially as they step up their flights.

© Cheapflights Ltd Andrea Mooney