Sustainability Elements
Material Resources Management
Environmental Stewardship
Protection of the environment and conservation of natural resources.
Economic Viability
Efficient operations of all facilities, stimulation of local and regional economic growth, and generating economic value through employment and procurement practices.
Since 1992, waste reduction and recycling has been a daily part of operations at LAX.
LAWA works closely with airport stakeholders and City of LA departments to improve, expand, and develop recycling and waste reduction activities at LAX to meet waste diversion goals laid out in the Sustainable City pLAn for Los Angeles and achieve regulation compliance.
Organic Waste Recycling Pilot Program
On Earth Day 2017, LAWA, in partnership with LASAN, launched an organics recycling pilot program in Terminals 7 and 8 at LAX. The program collects food waste generated from a targeted sample of restaurants and other airport concessionaires. Following collection, the food waste is transported to an offsite facility for conversion into natural gas using an anaerobic digestion process.
Our Stories
Award-Winning LAX Harvest Food Donation Program
Since late 2013, LAWA has partnered with Food Donation Connection, HMS Host, and Hudson Group to collect and donate unsold, ready-to-eat food items from the Central Terminal Area to local community service organizations. In 2015, the program received the prestigious Los Angeles County Green Leadership Award for demonstrating "outstanding and innovative environmental sustainability" while benefiting homeless and low-income families and individuals. In 2020, LAWA adopted the LAX Food Donation Policy requires businesses that sell or distribute food at LAX to implement a surplus edible food recovery strategy and report to LAWA annually the quantity of food donated via that strategy.
Organic Waste Recycling
In 2017, LAWA in partnership with LA Sanitation launched an organic waste recycling program at LAX. The program collects food waste generated from a targeted sample of restaurants and other airport concessionaires. Following collection, the food waste is transported to an offsite facility for conversion into natural gas through anaerobic digestion. LAWA is actively working to increase tenant participation in the program.
Photo credit: CR&R
