Denver International Airport’s (DEN) Zero Waste Valet program has diverted 69.2 tons of material from landfill into compost and recycling in its first six months of operation. The pilot program, which launched in June 2024, has achieved an average waste diversion rate (the rate at which trash is kept out of the landfill) of 71% – three times higher than the airport’s facility-wide diversion rate.
Reducing landfilled waste
The program, which is the first of its kind at DEN, is managed by Scraps, the longest-running Front Range compost company that boasts more than seven years of experience in specialized waste diversion efforts. The program started with three concessions on Concourse B, the busiest concourse at DEN, with the highest passenger traffic and the most concession locations. The initiative has gradually expanded, with 19 concessions currently participating.
“We are very pleased with the results Zero Waste Valet has achieved in the first six months that it’s been operating,” said Phil Washington, CEO of DEN. “By ensuring waste is properly managed in critical areas like concessions, we are making significant and meaningful strides toward reducing landfilled waste and carbon emissions, while demonstrating our commitment to becoming the greenest airport in the world.”
A US$495,000 Front Range Waste Diversion Grant provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment helped fund the pilot. The Front Range Waste Diversion Program was replaced by the Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise in May 2024.
The Zero Waste Valet team provides back-of-house composting and recycling support in the form of training, educational signage and equipment to efficiently move material, periodic waste audits and scales to ensure all waste is weighed. The team also collects trash, compost, mixed recycling and separated glass from every participating kitchen – a true “valet” service that also reduces concession staff’s workloads.
DEN’s zero-waste vision
“We’re thrilled to be able to help turn DEN’s zero-waste vision into reality,” said Christi Turner, Scraps founder and CEO. “This program is a tremendous opportunity for Scraps to put our proven zero-waste methodology to the test, and to partner with the DEN team to develop innovative new protocols to overcome the unique hurdles to waste diversion in our city’s busy, massive, 365-days-a-year airport.”
Though most concessions were already recycling cardboard, the program has helped everyone maximize their diversion by introducing mixed recycling and composting. Some concessions have seen an increase in the amount of waste being diverted from the landfill by up to four or five times their rate prior to the program beginning. After only three months, the Zero Waste Valet was collecting more compost than any other waste stream by weight, including trash. Today, trash is the smallest waste stream the team collects.
DEN plans for all concessions in Concourse B to participate by Q2 2025, with the long-term goal of extending to the other two concourses.
In related news, Denver International Airport (DEN) in Colorado recently opened its latest gate expansion. Click here to read the full story.