LAX banned a common travel item, and they believe it’s the right thing to do
Los Angeles International Airport has decided to ban the sale of single-use plastic bottles throughout its facility, as stated in a Facebook post. So, if your airport routine includes grabbing a bottle of water after TSA, you’ll need to make alternative arrangements.
In 2021, LAX and the Van Nuys Airport initiated a plan to gradually eliminate the sale of water bottles, aligning with the larger zero-waste initiative of Los Angeles World Airports’ Sustainability Action Plan. The LAWA Board of Commissioners aims to achieve full zero-waste status for its airports by 2045, which involves banning plastic bottles, achieving net-zero emissions from operations, transitioning to a fully renewable electric profile, and minimizing gray water.
According to Justin Erbacci, CEO of LAWA, “Eliminating single-use plastic water bottles is the right thing to do for our airports, our communities, and our environment,” as reported by KTLA.
LAX becomes the second airport to enforce a ban on single-use plastic water bottles, following San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which implemented the ban in 2019, extending to other beverage types in 2021.
The significance of this ban lies in LAX’s high daily passenger traffic, with over 32 million people flying through the airport in 2022. Cutting out water bottles could significantly reduce the airport’s waste generation, lessening the number of single-use plastic bottles ending up in landfills, waterways, and the environment.
Presently, the plastic water bottle ban at LAX includes vending machines and airport events but excludes plastic water bottles served aboard aircraft and other recyclable options like cartons, aluminum, and glass bottles.
LAWA officials emphasize that this shift towards reusables helps reduce plastic waste and pollution, allowing passengers to make a positive environmental impact while traveling.
