Resource protection

  1. Company & Business
  2. Responsibility
  3. Climate and environmental protection
  4. Resource protection

Responsible use of resources

In the interests of future generations, Munich Airport pursues a strategy of responsible use of natural resources. Whether it’s about water, energy, or waste management, handling paper requirements, or recycling de-icers, we operate efficient, sparing environmental and resource management.

Waste: high recycling rates

  • The five-stage waste pyramid
    Flughafen München GmbH meets every single requirement in the five-stage target hierarchy under the German Waste Management and Product Recycling Act. Any waste and scrap products from the operation of the airport – across the board – are collected where they are generated within various separating systems, handed over to certified specialist businesses close to the airport, prepared in sorting plants, and then recycled.
  • Recycling and energy recovery
    A custom-designed disposal concept is essential for sustainable resource conservation.

Paper consumption
Paper consumption obviously decreased significantly during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. There were hardly any aircraft movements at the airport. The staff was in short-time work or working from home; hardly anyone was in the offices. In 2021, the number of passengers increased again, as did the number of employees working in the offices. Paper consumption therefore also increased. In 2022, paper consumption fortunately decreased again, even though both aircraft movements and office occupancy increased further.

De-icing and recycling

Munich Airport is one of the few airports in the world that collects dripping de-icers when de-icing aircraft in the winter, recycles them on site, and reuses them. Depending on the weather conditions, a total of approximately 2,500 to 9,000 metric tons of aircraft de-icer is used in one winter, around 40 to 60 percent of which comes from recycling.

The recycled share no longer has to be cleaned in the Eitting treatment plant of the Erdinger Moos wastewater association, but instead can be reused as new de-icer. This is both an economic advantage, and also helps protect the environment and conserve resources.

Towing and de-icing
An aircraft is de-iced by the "Polar Bear" (deicing machine)

Aircraft fuel supply

At Munich Airport, aircraft are supplied with fuel with an underground refuelling system.

The fuel is pumped through underground pipes directly from nearby storage tanks to the park positions on the apron, where the aircraft are serviced with tankless refuelling vehicles known as hydrant dispensers.

This eliminates the need for taking tank trucks to the aircraft, which considerably reduces the risk of accidents on the apron. It also reduces emissions because pipes link the fuel storage tanks to the aircraft.

Key facts on the fuel storage facility and underground refuelling system at Munich Airport:

  • Four 4,500 m³ storage tanks
  • One 12,000 m³ storage tank
  • One 14,800 m³ storage tank
  • Total storage: approx. 45,000 m³
  • Delivery routes: By rail with tank wagons and via pipeline system from the Feldkirchen storage facility
  • Hydrant system with 20 km network and approximately 500 fuel pits
  • Current facility operator: Skytanking, under contract with Flughafen München GmbH