PHILADELPHIA, PA — Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, announced the winners of the 2026 Environmental Achievement Awards. The awards, which honor outstanding environmental stewardship efforts within the aviation industry, were presented on September 16 at the 2026 ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“Airports across the United States and Canada continue to prove that environmental stewardship and operational excellence go hand in hand,” said Kevin M. Burke, President and CEO of ACI-NA. “This year’s honorees developed programs that reduced environmental impact and strengthened ties with the communities they serve, all while keeping their airports running smoothly. Their work sets a standard the entire industry can learn from.”

ACI-NA’s Environmental Achievement Awards acknowledge the hard work, innovative practices, initiatives, and accomplishments of ACI-NA member airports working to protect and preserve the environment.

Airport environmental and planning staff are recognized for developing proposals and implementing programs that enhance sustainability and protect the environment while keeping their airports operational and on schedule, minimizing community and regulatory controversy, and using creative means to maximize overall cost-benefit.

A total of five awards were granted in the categories of Environmental Management; Mitigation; Outreach, Education, and Community Involvement; Environmental Improvement with Limited Resources; and Innovative/Special Projects.

Environmental Management

The 2026 Environmental Management Award went to the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey for its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Program. The initiative accelerates fleet, public, and airside electrification through data-driven planning, infrastructure deployment, stakeholder collaboration, and policy innovation, positioning the Port Authority as a leader in sustainable airport operations.

Mitigation

The 2026 Mitigation Award went to Dane County Regional Airport for its PFAS Mitigation Pilot Project. The airport partnered with technical experts to deploy site-specific microbes at known contamination hotspots, an approach that has produced significant reductions in PFAS concentrations at a downgradient monitoring well. The project has since been expanded and continues to show promising results.

Outreach, Education, and Community Involvement

The 2026 Outreach, Education, and Community Involvement Award went to Aéroports de Montréal (YUL) for its Food Donation Initiative, a pilot project supporting the airport’s Zero Waste goal. Partnering with local organizations, YUL diverted more than two tons of food for community redistribution and laid the groundwork for long-term agreements to expand waste reduction and social impact.

Honorable mentions went to Denver International Airport (DEN) for its Zero Waste Valet Program, which turned a longstanding sustainability challenge into an airport-wide success by uniting DEN’s operations, concessions, and finance teams behind an expansion approved for 2027, and to the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority for the Old Terminal 1 Cleanout, which through cross-functional planning, tenant coordination, and nonprofit outreach donated more than 600 surplus items and diverted 10,500 pounds of waste during a complex terminal closure.

Environmental Improvement with Limited Resources

The 2026 Environmental Improvement with Limited Resources Award went to the Calgary Airport Authority (YYC) for its Beverage and Container Recovery Program. Embedded within existing operations, YYC’s program diverts approximately 800,000 containers annually and generates $80,000 that supports frontline staff well-being, achieving high diversion with minimal cost or added infrastructure.

An honorable mention went to the Philadelphia Department of Aviation (PHL) for its Terminal Native Landscape project, which brings sustainability, history, and culture together at PHL while supporting pollinators, creating wildlife habitat, resisting drought, and managing stormwater in an active urban airport setting.

Innovative/Special Projects

The 2026 Innovative/Special Projects Award went to the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IND) for its Circularity through AI and Contractor Partnerships program. Built by and for its users, the Materials Management Program uses technology to inventory and track construction materials and incorporates standard contract documents to support teams across IND, helping the airport exceed its reuse and diversion goals.

An honorable mention went to the Salt Lake City Department of Airports (SLC) for Closing the Loop, a glass-to-fiberglass circular economy program. Since 2024, SLC has diverted 147.7 tons of glass from landfills, recycling it locally into cullet that is manufactured into fiberglass insulation used to build the airport itself, closing the loop entirely within Utah.

More details about ACI-NA’s Environmental Achievement Awards and information on how to apply for next year’s awards can be found HERE.

 

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