You are here: Home » News » Feature Story
The next time you sip a latte at Sea-Tac Airport, remember: you’re not only giving yourself a boost, you’re also invigorating thousands of shrubs and plants in the surrounding landscape.
Every month the Port of Seattle recycles 19,000 pounds of coffee grounds – enough in a year to fill a Boeing 777. The grounds create a rich, dark compost that helps replace soil acids needed to keep plants healthy.
Many of the airport’s 29 million annual passengers and thousands of workers drink coffee from more than 55 specialty coffee shops, restaurants and lounges at Sea-Tac. Cedar Grove Composting in Maple Valley mixes the grounds with lawn cuttings and yard waste from homes in the City of SeaTac. To close the recycling loop, the Port orders compost from Cedar Grove by the truckload for airport landscaping and to keep the grass growing and the dust down between the runways.
“In addition to coffee grounds, the airport recycles such things as cooking oils, paper, plastics, cans, pallets, batteries and printer and copier cartridges,” said Doug Holbrook, manager of utilities and business development. Since the program was expanded in 2001, recycling has increased 900% and in 2003 received the Washington State Recycling Association’s award for Environmental Excellence. Corporate Recycling Services provides consulting services to the Port on the program.
Airport tenants and passengers can take credit for a large part of the program’s success. “We can provide the bins and receptacles for recycled items, but in the end, they make the choice whether to recycle or throw it in the trash,” Holbrook said. From the passenger putting a used newspaper into the appropriate bin, to Ivar’s and other restaurants recycling of cooking oils, travelers and employees help keep the airport green.
Environmentally friendly actions also are common at the Port’s seaport facilities. Since 1998, the seaport has used a 100% organic approach to landscaping at its 19 public access parks and other properties. In addition to planting only native non-invasive species and drought tolerant trees and shrubs, all grass clippings and trimmed branches are composted or mulched for future use. This helps to conserve water and reduce run-off.
“I’m very proud of the landscape crew,” said Gary Lee, parks manager. “They are always on the look out for ways to improve our recycling and conservation efforts.” The seaport landscape program has earned a prestigious “Five Star" rating, the highest given by the King County EnviroStars Program. EnviroStars grades local business and government efforts in reducing hazardous waste and materials.
Whenever you visit a Port park or the airport, you can help out by recycling papers, cans and bottles. As a consumer, you can help close the recycling loop by buying recycled materials. And while you’re at it, have another cup of coffee.
For more information, visit Port environmental programs.
More than 55 specialty coffee shops, restaurants and lounges at Sea-Tac recycle their coffee grounds.
Special buckets and recycle bins are available for vendors to recycle coffee grounds and other products like paper, cooking oil and more.