Green Initiative

Savannah/Hilton Head International is embarking on a new "green" initiative expanding our recycling efforts to include administrative offices, tenants and the general public. Although recycling of certain items has been taking place behind the scenes for quite some time, passengers and neighbors of the Airport are now being encouraged to participate in the program.

The following summary describes the recycling efforts now in place at the Airport.

Single Stream

Recycle bins have been distributed to Airport staff as well as each tenant office including Airline, Rental Car, Security and Concessions. Trash receptacles for recycling have also been placed throughout the Airport Terminal accompanied by signs detailing the types of accepted items. The Single Stream program allows recycling of mixed paper, aluminum and plastic.

Public Drop Off

In conjunction with the City of Savannah the Airport has contracted to be a Public Drop-Off Recycle Location. A 22 foot bin is located on Aggett Drive next to the Cell Phone Parking Lot, and is available 24 hours a day for public recycling of the following items:

Newspapers, Inserts, Junk Mail, Magazines, Catalogs, Phone Books, Office Paper and Paper Back Books
Aluminum Cans, Tin Cans, Steel Cans (emptied and rinsed)
Plastic Bottles & Jugs - #1 - #7 (emptied, rinsed and tops removed)
Cardboard Boxes (flattened), Pasteboard, Brown Bags
Glass Bottles & Jars (clear & colored; emptied, rinsed, tops removed)

Plant Material

Savannah/Hilton Head International generates waste plant material from pruning and trimming various plants on Airport property. The material is chipped and mulched and used in landscaping throughout the Airport.

Coffee Grounds

HMS Host Concessions removes approximately 400 pounds of coffee grounds per month to convenient collection containers where Savannah/Hilton Head International Landscape crews transport the used coffee grounds to various locations to be used as compost.

Concrete

Concrete removed during construction or repair projects is used as sub-grade stabilization material whenever possible. Contractors are encouraged to recycle or reuse the material at other sites if it can’t be used for an Airport project.

Asphalt

Asphalt is routinely milled from runways, taxiways, ramps and roadways during pavement rehabilitation and reconstruction projects. Milled asphalt is then reused as road base for construction and reinforcement of roads on Airport property.

Scrap Metal

Scrap metal generated at the Airport is placed in a designated bin at our Maintenance and Operations Facility and regularly taken to a local recycling facility.

Cooking Oil

HMS Host concession recycles approximately 200 gallons of cooking oil per month to the Oil 2.0 Clean and Green program. Used cooking oil is stored in convenient collection cans until trained Oil 2.0 drivers safely remove oil for processing in to green energy.

Motor Oil

The Airport recycles used motor oil that is generated during vehicle maintenance at our Maintenance and Operations Facility. Tanks are also provided around aircraft hangars for collection of used oil generated when airlines/pilots perform engine maintenance on their aircraft.

Diesel Fuel

Diesel fuel recovered during vehicle maintenance is collected and recycled through fuel blending. The fuel is combined with an additive and used in various types of ground equipment.

Lead/Acid Batteries and Vehicle Tires

Lead/acid batteries and worn vehicle tires are returned to the supplier for recycling.