Copenhagen Airports CPH is now intensifying the efforts to improve airport air quality. CPH’s work with regard to fine particle pollution has generated international attention.
‘The new report summarises the knowledge we have amassed over the last five years in our work to analyse and improve the airport’s air quality. The report indicates that our main challenge is basically fine particles”, said Kristian Durhuus, COO of CPH, continuing: ‘Going to work at Copenhagen Airport should not make you ill, and we are doing everything in our power to minimise the health impact of the air pollution you may be subjected to when working in the vicinity of aircraft and vehicles.”
Copenhagen Airport commissioned the National Environmental Research Institute, now Danish Centre for Environment and Energy (DCE), to measure and analyse air pollution at the Copenhagen Airport site from 2009 to 2011. DCE’s final report confirms the findings of earlier subreports, demonstrating that the concentration levels for the majority of the components of air pollution examined are below the threshold values. The only exception is the number of particles (fine particles), which is at a level three times above that at H.C. Andersen’s Boulevard, one of Copenhagen’s most congested thoroughfares. There are no threshold values for fine particles. The study indicated that the main sources of air pollution are handling vehicles, the aircrafts’ main engines and auxiliary power units (APU).
No miracle solutions
‘Unfortunately, there are no miracle solutions that will eliminate airport air pollution with a single stroke, but we have launched a number of initiatives to reduce particle pollution. They focus mainly on introducing more so-called “green equipment”, such as vehicles fitted with particle filters and various types of electrically powered equipment”, explained Kristian Durhuus.
Specifically, the airport has recently acquired new electrically powered mobile power supplies for aircraft (GPUs), which were previously diesel powered, and polluting equipment is being phased out in favour of more environmentally friendly alternatives.
International focus
Copenhagen Airport’s regular publication of DCE’s measurement results has helped create unprecedented international attention to the issue of fine particle pollution at airports, and Copenhagen Airport will therefore seek to ensure that the international work in this area is strengthened, possibly in collaboration with other European airports.
‘The international focus on this problem is likely to benefit our work. It means that we will no longer be working alone, but that we will hopefully be able to collaborate with colleagues to create a more broadly-based international knowledge base”, said Kristian Durhuus.
Copenhagen Airport has worked on analysing and reducing airport air pollution since 2007 in collaboration with, among others, the airport’s handling companies and the trade union 3F. Most recently, Copenhagen Airport has established collaborations with the Occupational Medicine Clinic at Bispebjerg Hospital in Copenhagen on an in-depth examination of the working environment and with the Danish Working Environment Authority on tightening up Copenhagen Airport’s existing action plan.
For further information on CPH and their environmental efforts, visit the Copenhagen Airports website. To read up on previous articles on Copenhagen Airports, see Copenhagen Airports Low Cost Facility Opens.
Source: Copenhagen Airports
Editorial Director
