IATA is partnering with the Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF) to introduce a standardized Cabin Waste Composition Audit (CWCA). ASF, a non-profit collaboration of aviation stakeholders aimed at creating a sustainable future for onboard services, was established in October 2019. To support the audits, the ASF Cabin Waste Composition Auditing Platform will be launched in September 2024.
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GLOA significant increase in the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is crucial for aviation to significantly reduce its CO2 emissions and achieve Net Zero targets by 2050. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that SAF will account for about 65% of this goal. However, while the industry’s focus on SAF is essential, other sustainability measures, such as reducing cabin waste, should not be overlooked.
In response, IATA is partnering with the Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF) to introduce a standardized Cabin Waste Composition Audit (CWCA). ASF, a non-profit collaboration of aviation stakeholders aimed at creating a sustainable future for onboard services, was established in October 2019. To support the audits, the ASF Cabin Waste Composition Auditing Platform will be launched in September 2024. The collected audit data will help guide the airline industry and policymakers in efforts to reduce cabin waste and improve re-use and recycling practices.
Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s senior vice president for sustainability and chief economist, stated, “Managing and reducing waste is a crucial aspect of aviation’s overall sustainability. Standardized and comparable data on the composition and quantity of waste from flights will aid the industry in minimizing waste generation.”
Better data will also assist policymakers in harmonizing regulations, optimizing the industry’s ability to sort, recycle, and safely re-use unavoidable waste. Collaborating with ASF on this audit program is a significant step forward in enhancing the sector’s circularity.
IATA reports that ASF has already conducted CWCA trial audits using a methodology developed by the association. This tool captures waste data from various sources — cabin waste, galley bin waste, galley carts, dry stores, and bonded carts — and generates standard audit reports with a database for further analysis. These audits were trialed on 25 flights (short, medium, and long-haul) at Singapore’s Changi Airport in November 2023 and April 2024. Preliminary results show the sector generates over 3.6 million metric tonnes of cabin and catering waste annually, with 65% being food and beverage waste, and untouched meals accounting for 18% of all waste.
Matt Crane, founder of the Aviation Sustainability Forum and strategic projects lead at SATS, Asia’s largest aviation caterer, noted that progress on reducing cabin waste is lagging as aviation focuses on its primary challenge of reducing fossil fuel reliance and developing sustainable aviation fuels. The ASF envisions a new supply chain model for the manufacture, supply, and disposal of onboard products and services, optimizing waste reduction and circularity across all stakeholders.
Implementing this vision requires a standardized methodology. Previous IATA research identified the lack of a standardized approach to conducting cabin waste audits, resulting in inconsistent data for decision-making by policymakers, airlines, and caterers. A standardized audit aims to address these issues and demonstrate progress towards waste reduction and circularity.
Crane emphasized, “Effectively managing cabin waste is a challenge that can be solved with data. The sector and its regulators must collaborate to understand the problem and align on solutions.”
IATA will address new challenges and opportunities for enhancing environmental performance in aircraft cabins and cargo holds at its World Sustainability Symposium on 24-25 September in Miami, Florida.
Meanwhile, parallel industry efforts focus on leveraging technology for sustainability improvements. Companies like Diehl and Thales, along with Airbus, Adient Aerospace, Boeing, Jeppesen, Safran, and others, are involved in the i+s Cabin research project, which aims to revolutionize cabin data collection, analysis, and utilization. This project has developed a unified communication standard for cabin components, and its latest iteration, i+s Cabin 2.0, covers every aspect of the cabin, including management, equipment, seat electronics, lighting, and smart galley solutions. The results of this work will be available on an evaluation platform funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, starting in November 2025.
Sustainable Cabin: Cabin Waste and Single Use Plastics (SUP) Fact Sheet
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Source: IATA
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