Air Quality | Environment sustainability | Aena

Corporative

Aena provides information on the air quality of the surrounding areas of its airports through atmospheric pollution measurement systems. These systems allow us to find out the level of concentration of the main substances produced as a result of our activity, such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM).

The purpose of these stations is the automatic and continuous monitoring of air quality in the area of influence in the zones of airport operations.

In some cases, Aena's monitoring stations form part of municipal and/or regional Air Quality Control Networks.

Air quality monitoring and control

Air quality measurements conducted around airports do not only measure the contribution of airport activity to air quality levels, but also the contribution of all emitting sources located in the vicinity of the measurement point.

Furthermore, according to the criteria for macro and micro-implementation of measurement points established in current legislation, the interior of the airport grounds is not a suitable location for assessing compliance with limit values for the protection of human health, ecosystems or vegetation.

Notwithstanding the above, the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), which the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge formulates on the occasion of the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure for infrastructure projects promoted by Aena, have established the need to carry out air quality measurements at some airports.

Aena has implemented air quality stations at the airports of AS Madrid-Barajas, JT Barcelona-El Prat, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante-Elche and Málaga-Costa del Sol.

In some cases, Aena's monitoring stations form part of municipal and/or regional Air Quality Control Networks.

Actions

The Air Quality action line is based primarily on all the actions defined in the Climate Action Plan for the reduction of CO2 emissions. In other words, this line of action integrates all CAP actions related to emissions generated by own operations (renewable energies, energy efficiency and own sustainable fleet) and those of third parties (clean propulsion and efficiency in aeronautical operations, sustainable ground handling fleet and sustainable mobility).

Some examples of actions taken are:


Actualizaciones

Electricity suply

The 400 Hz electricity supply from a system forming part of the airbridge has the advantage of making it unnecessary to use the auxiliary power unit, which as well as being a source of gas emissions, as it consumes fuel, generates noise. Although the use of this type of service is not always technically possible, Aena is working with airlines to increase and extend the use of these systems throughout its network of airports.

Minimise gas emissions

To minimise gas emissions from the vehicles operating in the airport, Aena uses ground support (GSE) vehicle replacement programmes on a voluntary basis and in agreement with the handling agents, to replace the most polluting vehicles with others using alternative or carbon neutral technology.

Measurement of air quality

Aena provides information on the air quality of the surrounding areas of its airports through atmospheric contamination measurement systems. These systems allow us to find out the level of concentration of the main substances produced as a result of our activity, such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). The purpose of these stations is the automatic and continuous monitoring of air quality in the area of influence in the zones of airport operations.

Visit the Air Quality Portal

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