Denver International Airport Goes Green this Earth Day with Many On-Going Sustainable Programs

DENVER – April 22, 2019 – This Earth Day, Denver International Airport (DEN) is making green improvements to the passenger experience. Passengers will notice many of these upgrades next time they are traveling through DEN.

Liquid Collection Sites

In an effort to increase recycling rates, DEN has implemented liquid collection sites at all three TSA checkpoints. The new stations encourage passengers to empty liquids they cannot take through the checkpoint and then either recycle the bottle or take the empty bottle with them, to be filled post-security.

The new liquid collection sites will cutdown on the number of people that leave liquids in their carry-on bags and reduces the amount of plastic going into the trash that can be recycled or reused.

Passengers are encouraged to reuse plastic bottles or refill reusable bottles at one of 29 water bottle filling stations located throughout the airport.

Fun Facts About DEN’s Sustainability Programs

Denver International Airport is one of the most environmentally responsible airports in the world and has integrated sustainability practices into the course of doing business. Some of DEN’s sustainability practices and accomplishments include:

• DEN’s concessions are going green with the Certifiably Green Denver sustainability certification program. Businesses achieve certification by implementing sustainable business practices. DEN now hosts 34 certified businesses. Look for the Certifiably Green Denver Logo at participating businesses.

• DEN is crushing it when it comes to recycling and reuse. The recent reconstruction of one of our airfield service roads used crushed aggregate that was recycled from our own runway concrete. Recycled aggregate was used as both a road base and as the coarse aggregate in the concrete mix.

• DEN was the first U.S. airport to have a facility-wide Environmental Management System. DEN recently upgraded to the new ISO 14001:2015 standard so we can continue to identify, prioritize, and manage aspects of our operations that could impact the environment.

• DEN currently has 29 water bottle filling stations throughout the facility, so passengers can reduce plastic waste while staying hydrated.

• We build green. DEN has four buildings on our campus with LEED green building certifications. DEN’s Hotel and Transit Center achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest green building certification: LEED Platinum.

• DEN is an industry leader in collecting and recycling spent deicing fluid, with 70% of the fluid sprayed on aircraft last winter kept out of the environment.

• DEN is well-known within Colorado for our commitment to the environment. In 2017, we became the first two-time winner of the State’s Environmental Leadership Program 24-Karat Gold award for our expanded food donation program.

• DEN’s award-wining food donation program donated 177,836 lbs. of food in 2018 to local non-profits Metro Caring and We Don’t Waste. Thanks to all our donor partners United Catering, LSG Sky Chefs, Southwest Airlines – Provisioning, Marshall Retail Group, Paradies Lagardiere, Delaware North, and Mission Yogurt.

• DEN lightens its landfill load wherever we can. That’s why we started collecting “gently used” luggage abandoned by travelers. Our partner, Denver Rescue Mission, redistributes the bags to their clients and other agencies. In 2018, DEN donated 835 pieces of abandoned luggage.

Denver International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. DEN is the primary economic engine for the state of Colorado, generating more than $36 billion for the region annually. For more information visit www.FlyDenver.com, check us out on YouTube and Instagram, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Sign up for DEN’s monthly newsletter Nonstop News.

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