Let’s get excited about cabin waste – a problem we can solve
The IATA World Sustainability Summit, held in Miami this past September, brought together airlines, OEMs, government officials, NGOs, and innovators to address the critical pathways needed to achieve aviation’s 2050 ICAO Net Zero target.
Key discussions cantered on accelerating sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) infrastructure and production, advancing aircraft designs, and driving future aeroengine innovations. These efforts underscore a pressing reality: while fuel and technology solutions are vital for the sector’s long-term sustainability, they are lagging behind the rapid growth in aviation and its increasing appetite for new aircraft.
The growth challenge
The current global fleet of 25,578 commercial aircraft is projected to nearly double to 50,000 by 2050 to meet passenger demand, which is forecasted to grow from 4.5 billion in 2024 to over 10 billion by mid-century (Source: Statista).
While fuel burn and emissions dominate the sustainability agenda, the issue of passenger cabin waste is growing in parallel and could be getting left behind.
Cabin waste: a solvable problem
Unlike SAF, tackling cabin waste does not require billions in investment, complex technology breakthroughs, or new infrastructure. Despite the challenges of International Catering Waste (ICW) regulations that impede recycling and circularity, airlines and caterers have the tools to address this problem—if they prioritise it and collaborate.
The solution lies in:
- Data collection and analysis
- Supply chain redesign
- Standardised practices (e.g., consistent bag colours for crew recyclables to simplify sorting for caterers)
- A unified global effort to support IATA in their negotiation for changes to ICW regulations.
The impact of cabin waste
The Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF), with backing from IATA and leading airlines, has introduced a new Cabin Waste Composition Audit (CWCA) programme. This initiative has recalibrated the industry’s understanding of the scale of cabin waste:
- 3.6 million tons of cabin waste annually
- Enough untouched meals to feed every American citizen 3-4 times a year
- With an estimated commercial loss of USD $2-3 billion in wasted food costs for the industry per year (at today’s passenger numbers.)
Data-driven solutions
The ASF-CWCA programme, endorsed by IATA, provides airlines with actionable data to measure, report, and manage cabin waste effectively. By participating in the programme, airlines can benchmark waste levels across their networks and gain valuable insights for internal and external ESG reporting.
Through the ASF Analytics Dashboard, aggregated and detailed data reveals where waste reduction, cost savings, and improved recycling efforts can be achieved. Airlines and caterers now have a cost-effective means to understand their waste impact and develop tailored solutions.
A call for collaboration
The ASF is now working with leading airlines across the world to help them and their catering partners understand the amount and type of cabin waste they are generating and together developing solutions to reduce waste and improve circularity.
Prior to WTCE, we hope to be able to share the first of these case studies here with WTCE then being the time and place to share our work in more detail and map out what we see as the common pathways we can all follow together.
The tools are available, the data is clear, and the urgency is undeniable. Solving the cabin waste challenge requires airlines, caterers, suppliers, and governing bodies to come together to demonstrate meaningful progress to passengers, employees, and shareholders.
We should not only be excited about the opportunity open to us all to solve the issue of Cabin Waste – we should be committed to doing so – together as one.
For more information about the work of the ASF and the CWCA programme, contact the team at info@aviationsustainabilityforum.com.
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