The airports policy highlights its commitment to identifying and controlling its impact on the environment. Its concerns are diverse (noise, water, air, etc.) and have led to various initiatives.
Noise control
Noise generated by aircraft is the primary cause of pollution suffered by the local residents of an airport.
In order to control, or indeed reduce, noise pollution, everyone concerned has a role to play:
Airlines (development of their fleet, pilot training, noise reduction procedures and night flights, research programmes, etc.)
Local authorities (control of town planning)
The airport administrator (informing local residents, dealing with complaints, management of acoustic insulation grants)
Government departments (regulations and sanctions)
Air quality monitoring
Air quality around an airport is influenced by numerous factors, such as:
aircraft
road traffic
power station
fuel distribution and kerosene storage
Various initiatives are carried out at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport to reduce these sources of pollution, including:
monitoring of air quality at two fixed stations
reduction of emissions from aircraft on stopover
promotion of clean runway vehicles (electric vehicles)
performance of gas fire drills
promotion of clean vehicles (buses)
Water protection and saving
Effective water management is necessary to deal with issues relating to:
drinking water consumption,
waste water management,
management and monitoring of the quality of rainwater and run-off water,
use of underground water,
protection of streams and rivers,
prevention of pollution risks.
Various initiatives have been implemented, including:
saving drinking water (toilets, firefighters),
using water from a well for watering green spaces and for air conditioning,
monitoring waste water and rainwater discharge,
building a rainwater treatment centre.
Energy management
The airport is a major hub of activity (150 businesses and 3,000 employees) and provides the energy required by businesses located on its site.
The energy sources used by the airport administrator and by the businesses at the airport are:
electricity
natural gas
fuel (petrol, diesel, heating oil)
kerosene
The airports energy needs are principally linked to:
heating
air conditioning of airport buildings
lighting of airport buildings
Several initiatives have been implemented, including:
variable lighting of the P3 car park depending on the time of day
variable lighting, heating and air conditioning of the airport terminals according to need and numbers of people
Waste management
The airport brings together several businesses on one platform: airlines, catering services (preparation of airline meals), aircraft cleaning services, postal services and freight companies, car-hire companies, shops, restaurants and services, etc. Each of these businesses produces various types of waste.
An internal Green Dot recycling centre allows waste to be sorted and recycled (newspapers, magazines, paper, cardboard, green waste, wood, glass, scrap metal, etc.).
Monitoring wildlife
An airport is the ideal home for numerous animals including birds, mammals and insects. However, they represent a danger for air traffic, especially birds. This danger is known as bird strike hazard.
The aim of bird strike hazard management is to raise awareness and prevent collisions between aircraft and animals, birds or mammals.
Aircraft which come from all over the world may also transport harmful insects. Some insects carry diseases which are dangerous to humans while others may be harmful to plants.
Integration into the surrounding environment
Integration into the surrounding environment requires various elements of the urban and industrial environment to be taken into account:
plant and develop green spaces to improve the airports visual aspect and for the benefit of local residents
organise the flow of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists
direct and promote accessibility
organise signposting and advertising
harmonise the architecture of airport buildings
The major building work undertaken at the airport (construction of the future Hall D) has led to an overhaul of road networks and landscaping. Traffic flow has been reorganised and spaces filled with plants.
