In 2006, Denver International Airport moved into the fifth spot among the nation’s busiest airports with a record total of 47.3 million passengers.

With this growth comes significant environmental responsibility. DEN’s Environmental Management System carefully plans for this growth and incorporates sustainability principles into the airport’s everyday activities.

Denver International Airport remains a demonstrated leader in environmental management, and continues to set aggressive environmental performance goals for the future.

Denver International Airport’s Environmental Management System (EMS) continues to provide a systematic approach to managing its environmental impacts, and to promote and encourage continual improvement. In 2006, the airport’s EMS received re-certification to the new, more stringent ISO 14001: 2004 standard. DEN remains the only international airport in the United States with an ISO 14001-certified EMS that encompasses the entire facility. DEN was also accepted into the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Environmental Performance Track Program in 2006. This is the first airport to be accepted into this national group of elite environmental leaders.

DEN’s annual EMS objectives are:

• Improve environmental compliance
• Reduce potential liabilities
• Enhance the airport’s positive image
• Implement a reliable Environmental Management System
• Evaluate pollution-prevention and energy conservation and waste-minimization opportunities

Denver International Airport continues to pursue these objectives systematically through its “Plan, Do, Check, Feedback” process (see figure). DEN’s EMS is helping Denver achieve one of the City’s goals: “Making Denver a Better Place to Live.”

DEN set aggressive goals for reduction of electrical energy usage, glycol recycling, reduction of hazardous and solid waste generation, and gasoline usage. Progress toward these targets are presented below.

Transportation energy use by fuel type
(gasoline used in vehicles).
Decrease by 1% the gallons of gasoline used per vehicle per year.
Metric = gallons gasoline/year/vehicle
Baseline 2005 = 561 (238,038 gallons/424 vehicles)
Goal 2006 = 556   Actual = 860

Non-transportation energy use
(electricity generated off-site only).
Decrease by 1% the annual kWh/passenger.
Metric = kWh used/year/passenger
Baseline 2005 = 5.26 (228,373,418 kwh/43,387,513)
Goal 2006 = 5.21   Actual = 4.85

Non-hazardous solid waste generation
Decrease pounds of solid waste disposed each year per passenger by 5% annually.
Metric = Pounds of total disposed solid waste/year/ passenger
Baseline 2005 = 0.51 (10,963 tons/43,387,513)
Goal 2006 = 0.48   Actual = 0.49

Hazardous waste generation
Decrease the amount of city-generated hazardous waste (excludes universal waste) going off-site by 1% annually.
Metric = Pounds/year/million passengers
Baseline 2005 = 27 (1,175 pounds/43,387 million)
Goal 2006 = 26.7   Actual = 14.5

Discharges to Water
(chemical oxygen demand reduction).
Strive to maintain an aircraft deicing fluid applied/collection ratio of 69%.
Metric = total gallons of glycol used/gallons captured
Baseline 2004-2005 season = 69%
Goal 2005-2006 = 69%   Actual = 70%

The airport received one violation in 2006 for failure to comply with specific requirements for the installation of emission control devices on oil and gas condensate tanks. DEN cooperated fully with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and is now in full compliance with the regulations.

• Several additional improvements were made in various areas that provided environmental benefits. A few of these accomplishments are:
• Increased municipal solid waste diversion rate by 50% over 2005 through education and outreach and increased participation of business partners.
• Upgraded training programs:
• Purchased a new stormwater training video, Included sustainability category in environmental awareness training,
• Made content improvements to SPCC and waste management training materials.
• Conducted environmental regulation workshop for airport employees, tenants, operators and other Colorado airports.
• Included environmental provisions in service agreements and contracts.
• Received a pollution-prevention champion award from CDPHE.
• Active participation in GreenPrint Denver.
• Completed ISO 14001 Lead Auditor training.
• Updated DEN Rules, Regulations and technical specifications to clarify environmental requirements for entities providing products, goods, and services on behalf of the airport.
• Prepared a sanitary sewer overflow response plan.
• Completed the design and installation of a public historical farmsteads exhibit.

• Add plastic and aluminum beverage recycling containers in the public areas.
• Implement additional stormwater management system automation upgrades.
• Promote DEN’s environmental programs and improve external communications.
• Systematically replace pond liners to provide additional environmental protection.
• Improve the glycol recycling plant inventory management system.
• Install additional water quality features for the expansion of Peña Boulevard.
• Conduct an erosion control and stormwater quality study for the Peña Boulevard corridor.
• Participate in the public process for permit revisions, regulatory reviews, and environmental policies and procedures.

In addition, DEN will continue to pursue its aggressive pollution-prevention, energy-reduction and waste-minimization targets for 2007 which are included in DEN’s EMS, EPA Performance Track commitments and Greenprint Denver. These targets include:

• Decrease gasoline use by 1 percent
• Decrease electricity use by 1 percent
• Decrease solid waste disposal by 5 percent
• Decrease hazardous waste generation by 5 percent
• Strive to maintain an applied/collection ratio of 69 percent for spent aircraft deicing fluid

• Aircraft deicing fluid (ADF)
• Liquid fuels
• Hazardous waste
• Remediation/Investigation derived waste
• Wetlands
• Sediment and street-sweeping waste
• Exploration and production products
• Universal waste
• Municipal solid waste
• Particulates (PM10, PM 2.5, dust, opacity)
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• Volatile organic compounds (VOC) – ozone precursor
• Migratory birds
• Sewage
• Natural habitat
• Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs)
• Pavement deicers
• Lubricants
• Solvents
• Wash fluids
• Threatened and endangered species
• Noise

DEN currently recycles or reuses 20 different types of materials, keeping them out of landfills and supporting recycling businesses along Colorado’s Front Range:

• Aluminum cans
• Office paper
• Glass
• Newspaper
• Magazines
• Cardboard boxes
• Restaurant grease
• Phone books
• Toner cartridges from printers
• Computers
• Batteries
• Wood pallets
• Scrap metal
• Used oil
• Tires
• Antifreeze
• Solvents
• Concrete and asphalt spoils from construction
• Aircraft deicing fluid
• Fluorescent lamps and high-intensity discharge lamps

DEN is currently evaluating its recycling programs to increase recycling, thereby reducing the amount of waste entering Colorado’s landfills and conserving natural resources.

www.flydenver.com