Long Beach Airport Food Scrap Program Takes Flight

Long Beach, CA-As part of the Long Beach Airport's (LGB) ongoing sustainability efforts to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions,it has launched a commercial food scrap recycling program to divertorganic materials from the landfill and create renewable energy.

"Long Beach already has the best airport in the country and programs like this help us be responsible stewards of our environment as well," said Mayor Robert Garcia. "This program is another step forward in helping the Cityachieve our overall sustainability goals."

Launched in late 2021 in collaboration with the Department of Public Works Environmental Services Bureau, LGB tenants and business partners,such as airport concessionaire manager ParadiesLagardere, the programis expected todivert20% ofthefood scrap that otherwise would be wasted.

Here's how it works:

• Food scraps, including meat, dairy, bread, vegetables, fruits, eggs, coffee grounds, cheese, pasta and other organic materials, are sortedfrom other solid waste and placed in 95-gallon binslocated behind the north and south concourses.
• City Refuse picksup the food scrapsweeklyfor delivery to the Puente Hills Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) for processing.
• Once at MRF, the waste is treated, and the slurry is pumped into tanks and shipped to a wastewater treatment plant managed by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District.
• At theplant, the slurry is converted intobiogas, which is arenewable energy source, through anaerobic digestion, and the biosolids from thatprocess can be used as fertilizer.

Public Works began initiating commercial food scrap collection programsin Long Beach last year to support businesses that soon will be required to divert organic waste in accordance with State guidelines. California Assembly Bill 1826 mandates that all commercial operations divert organic waste and is further enforced in State Senate Bill 1383, which establishes statewide targets to achieve a 75% reduction of organic waste and recover at least 20% of edible food for human consumption by 2025.

LGB concessionaire ParadiesLagarderehas been donating edible food to local nonprofit organization Food Finders for several years.Between 2016 and 2019, Paradies donated approximately threetons of edible food to help fight food insecurity in local communities.

Over the last five years, LGB also diverted an estimated fivetons of green waste from landfillsthrough landscape maintenance practices that create and utilize mulch onthe airport'sgrounds.

"We are so proud of the collective work done with the City and LGB's business partners to implement this innovative back-of-house food scrap program ahead of the State's schedule," said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. "While we've long been known for delivering one of the best passenger experiences in the nation, LGB alsois Airport Carbon Accredited(ACA)witha well-earned reputationas an industry leader insustainability."

ACA-certified by Airports Council International (ACI), LGB participates in a voluntary, worldwide carbon management program that helps airports identify, manage and reduce their carbon emissions. LGB's carbon management plan includes pledges to reduce emissions from 2016 levels, on a per passenger basis, by 20% in 2025 and 40% in 2030. City leaders have set a goal for the airport to eventually become a carbon-neutral facility, with various efforts underway to achieve that, including the installation of two large solar arrays on top of Parking Structures A and B expected to be completed this year.

For more informationabout LGB Green Airport initiatives, follow the Long Beach Airport on social media or visit lgb.org.

About the City of Long Beach 
Home to approximately 480,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly rated school district, Long Beach Airport and the Port of Long Beach. The Cityalso has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 171 parks, miles of beaches, marinas and bike paths.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit http://longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagramand YouTube.

About Long Beach Airport
Founded in 1923, Long Beach Airport (LGB) is the oldest airport in California. Among its many awards, LGB was named a Top 10 airport in the 2020 USA Today10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for Best Small Airport. LGB offers non-stop service to several U.S. cities while supporting a healthy general aviation community with more than 300,000 annual operations. The airport is also a source of substantial economic activity and employment, with the LGB Aviation Complex generating $8.6 billion in economic impact and supporting 46,000 jobs. LGB is a self-supporting enterprise of the City of Long Beach and does not receive local tax dollars. The Airport prides itself in preserving its esteemed historic legacy and maintaining a safe, sustainable, and environmentally responsible operation. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @LGBAirport.