Mangaluru: Keeping the theme of Earth Day 2022 – Invest in our planet in mind, Mangaluru International Airport marked the day with a unique initiative. The airport placed 46 pink waste bins in washrooms designated for use by women stakeholders for them to dispose personal hygiene items including sanitary pads and diapers. MIA also displayed signages at the washrooms urging stakeholders to do so.
This move will enable the airport to scientifically dispose personal hygiene items. The airport has commissioned incinerators to ensure the scientific disposal of napkins and diapers. Segregation of items and disposal at source will also prevent them from reaching the local landfill site. This will also ensure that Mother Earth does not have to bear additional waste than what she already is handling.
The two incinerators with a capacity to handle 200 napkins and diapers per day are functional at the women’s barracks of the aviation security group of CISF and the airport terminal premises. Growing awareness among the stakeholders too on their effective and scientific disposal is a welcome development. This is complimenting a commitment given by MIA to the regulators to keep the surrounding clean.
Additional green measures
Additionally, reaffirming the commitment to sustainable development, MIA has also installed water aerators that ensure optimal utilization of this vital resource. The airport has switched over to energy efficient LED lights by installing 3273 such lights in terminal building and airside. The airport has installed 80 water saving aerators in washroom taps in the terminal to conserve water.
Investing in the future of mankind, the airport has also drawn up plans to set up an in-house solid waste management facility with 500 kgs per day organic waste converter that will process wet waste. The facility will also have segregation and sorting area of dry waste which in turn can be sent for recycling. This in turn will not impose an additional burden on the municipal landfill sites.
Additionally, plans are also afoot to change the conventional petrol and diesel vehicles used for airside operations to electric vehicles during the current financial year. Multiple electric vehicle charging stations will also be set up on the airside and landside to encourage transition to green energy. All the streetlights in the landside approach road will also be converted to LEDs.
