Mitie has been awarded a three-year waste management contract by Bristol Airport, with the option of extending for a further two years.

The contract will see Mitie manage the airport’s waste, sorting around 2,200 tonnes per year ready for disposal. Types of waste that Mitie will manage include mixed recycling, international catering waste from flights, hazardous waste, and passenger search waste items. Mitie will be adopting sustainable recycling methods wherever possible, to minimise the airport’s impact on the environment.

Bristol Airport operates a ‘zero waste to landfill’ strategy, meaning the amount of waste ending up in landfill is reduced to zero through recycling processes. Mitie will support this by taking non-recyclable waste off-site and sending it to an energy recovery centre that converts it into renewable energy, powering local homes and businesses.

Mitie will also work with the airport to reduce carbon from the waste process, for example, collection of food waste will be undertaken by a vehicle that both collects and runs on commercial food waste. Its total carbon footprint is around 90% lower than a diesel equivalent.

The new contract will also affect local businesses, charities, community groups, and social enterprise organisations within the airport’s supply chain. For example, rather than using traditional methods of collecting wood in skips, Mitie will work with a supply partner that gives workplace opportunities to disadvantaged people who collect, recycle, and remanufacture wood waste into new products, such as tables and bookcases.

This contract builds on Mitie’s existing work relationship Bristol Airport, where it also provides baggage handling services. Mitie also has a range of different contracts to provide services to aviation hubs including Heathrow, Birmingham, London City, London Stansted and Belfast City Airports. This includes providing waste management services at Manchester and East Midlands airports.

Image: Mitie