Delhi Airport Goes Environment Friendly: DIAL Plans To Eliminate Plastic By 2019

If Delhi Airport Authority Limited’s (DIAL) plans are successful, the country’s busiest Airport could be plastic-free by the end of 2019. Delhi airport is taking a number of steps to ensure the elimination of all single-use plastic from its premises, The Economic Times has reported.

DIAL operates the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport in the national capital. The operator has issued a statement in which it has expressed its intent to make the airport premises free of plastic straws, containers and other disposable plastic items.

"It includes mainly creating awareness, enhancing waste management systems and promoting the use of eco-friendly sustainable alternatives... progressively. By the end of 2019, Delhi airport will become a plastic free airport," as said in a statement Tuesday.

DIAL said that it is working closely and in a collective manner with all stakeholders to ensure that the goal is achieved.

The operator will focus on ensuring the use of smart and bio-friendly packaging for beverages and takeaways as well as paper or environmental friendly bags for retail shopping.

Minimisation of waste generation, segregation and collection of waste at the source and recycling the waste produced will be among the other efforts made by DIAL to keep the airport plastic free.

Videh Jaipuriar, chief executive officer of DIAL, has said that multiple initiatives are being taken to ensure sustainable development and environmental protection.

"Our objective is to make Delhi airport free from single-use plastic in line with the Prime Minister's vision," he told TOI.