Port Receives Recycling Award

Washington State Recycling Association Names Sea-Tac "Recycling Business of Year"

The Port of Seattle has received a significant award for its innovative recycling program at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Washington State Recycling Association has named Sea-Tac its "Recycling Business of the Year" for 2003.

The award, presented at a meeting in Spokane on May 6, was formally delivered to port commissioners at today's commission meeting.

"We knew in our hearts this recycling program was on the mark," said Port of Seattle Commission President and Chair Patricia Davis. "To have our program recognized by the WRSA is very flattering."

With its recycling program, the Port has saved at least $100,000 in landfill costs each of the last two years, and expects those savings to grow in the years ahead.

"Recycling isn't only good for the environment, it's good for our own bank account. This is an example of how doing the right thing is good business," Davis said.

Since 2001, Sea-Tac has reduced the amount of waste sent to landfills by 30%, and increased its recycling tonnage by 268%. As part of the program, recycling containers were placed conveniently around the airport, and distinctively marked. Travelers and airport tenants eagerly made use of the containers.

"This award goes to our tenants and our travelers as much as to the Port itself," Davis said. "Just by choosing the proper bin when disposing of items they are having a huge impact on the environment."

The Port is also advancing the cause of recycling by making sure there are markets for recycled goods. All office copy paper has at least 30% post-consumer recycled content, and paper towels throughout the airport have at least 40% recycled content.

"If there were no markets for recycled goods, there would be less incentive to recycle," said Doug Holbrook, manager of utilities for Sea-Tac. "We need to consider what comes in the front door as carefully as we sort what goes out the back door."

This is the second time the Port's recycling program has been recognized. In 2002, the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce gave Sea-Tac's Recycling and Energy Conservation Program its Environmental Excellence Award. That program, which includes innovative methods of reducing energy consumption (along with recycling) saves the Port an estimated $1.8 million annually.

Other airports might now follow Sea-Tac's lead. The American Association of Airport Executives asked the Port to present a short seminar on airport recycling opportunities at a recent convention. It's the first time the AAAE is known to have addressed the issue, and Sea-Tac is receiving inquiries from other airports on how to launch similar programs.