2016 Responsibility report

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Responsibility at Finavia A part of society Safety Staff wellbeing Environmental responsibility GRI Emissions into water and soil This is how we reduce aquatic and soil emissions The most significant impacts our airports have on the aquatic environment result from de-icing treatments of runways, and from anti-icing and de-icing treatments of aircrafts. Acetates and formates are among the runway de-icing agents with the smallest impact on the environment. They are readily biodegradable and contain no nitrogen. The propylene glycol used for de-icing and anti-icing treatments is not classified as harmful, but it causes an environmental load on waterways by increasing oxygen consumption. We monitor the groundwater quality at 14 airports and the surface water quality at 21 airports using approximately 300 monitoring points. We aim to minimise the environmental load caused by these substances on waterways and soil. In 2016, we concentrated on improving the management of rain and run-off waters at Helsinki Airport and continued our investments in centralised de-icing facilities. This is how we reduce the environmental impacts of de-icing treatments of runways • Mechanical methods, such as sweeping and ploughing, are the primary methods for clearing snow off runways. We also encourage airlines to use mechanical methods, such as pressurised air blowers, for removing loose snow from aircraft. • Acetate and formate-based agents are used to prevent skidding. They readily decompose and contain no nitrogen. • We are constructing and reconditioning de-icing and anti-icg stations where the used agents can be more efficiently collected. Overall, we invested a total of EUR 62 million in de-icing areas during 2010-2016. In addition to Helsinki Airport, glycol is collected at Tampere, Jyväskylä, Oulu and Kuopio Airports. • We closely monitor weather conditions in our airport maintenance work and develop our monitoring system. • We provide ground handling companies with uniform instructions. Actions in 2016 • The second phase of the renovation work for the older de-icing area (R6) at Helsinki Airport was completed. • During the winter season of 2015–2016, about 93 per cent (84) of the approximately 1.6 million litres of glycol used at Helsinki Airport was recovered. The 2016 recovery rate was 45 per cent (71) in Tampere and 39 per cent (58) in Oulu. The recovery rates fluctuate yearly with the changing weather conditions. Some of the glycol sticks to the surface of the aircraft and cannot be recovered. • The survey regarding the reconditioning needs of brooks flowing through the Helsinki Airport area was completed in early 2016. The survey report includes a proposal of actions for managing the water volumes and water quality. The report was submitted to the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland. • The planning of the control and ditch arrangements for the storm water discharged into the Kylmäoja brook close to Helsinki Airport was started during the year. The plans were submitted to the ELY Centre for Uusimaa for approval in spring 2017. • Examination of the embanked basins used in the treatment of Helsinki Airport storm water began in autumn 2016 and the work will continue until the autumn 2017. Mechanical snow removal Close monitoring of weather conditions Repidly degrading anti-skid treatment agents Centralised ice removal locations Common rules for ground forwarding companies Visit the News Room to read more about the water management process at Helsinki Airport! Responsibility report 2016 56
Responsibility at Finavia A part of society Safety Staff wellbeing Environmental responsibility GRI • Flood storage basins were built in the headwaters of the Veromiehenkylä brook in spring 2016, with the purpose of balancing the storm water flows originating from Helsinki Airport. A water treatment plant installed in a container, as a means of reducing odours and loading, was tested in the side ditch of the brook in spring 2016. • The competitive tendering of the water monitoring in the airport network was completed in spring 2016 and contracts were concluded with two operators. Centralisation of the activities is hoped to result in a more effective coordination of water monitoring activities, as well as a more efficient assessment of results and official reporting. • We built sewers in the aircraft ramps at Rovaniemi Airport, which allow for the separate collection of glycol-containing waters. Use of de-icing agents for runways About one-third of the total quantity of de-icing agents for runways is used at Helsinki Airport. The consumption is at its highest during mild winter weather. The volume of traffic also affects the consumption volumes. The use of chemicals has varied over the past few years, as have the weather conditions. We aim to optimise consumption with the help of continuous training, uniform instructions and weather monitoring systems. The use of de-icing agents increased at Helsinki Airport during 2016, compared to the previous years. Because of weather conditions, the most difficult months in terms of de-icing operations were February, November and December. Oxygen consumption and nitrogen loading caused by de-icing agents for runways The pollution load caused by de-icing treatment agents on the aquatic environment has significantly decreased since the turn of the millennium, when the use of urea was discontinued. The nitrogen pollution load has almost entirely ceased, and the oxygen consumption load has decreased at best to one-third of what it was in the early 1990s. Despite the increase in the consumption of de-icing treatment agents, the load has remained stable since the turn of the millennium. We have switched to using liquid formate at Biological oxygen depletion and nitrogenous pollution caused by de-icing agents tonnes 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Biological oxygen consumption (BOD) Nitrogen load t (N) several airports, which exerts a minimal load on the environment. In recent years, the load has varied due to the fluctuation in the use of the agents, since that depends on the weather conditions. Oxygen consumption load caused by aircraft de-icing and anti-icing agents At Helsinki Airport, water containing aircraft anti-icing and de-icing agents is collected by using suction vehicles and by leading the water to the waste water sewage system. The majority of chemicals causing oxygen consumption can be collected for treatment. The rain and run-off water that cannot be led to a waste water treatment plant is discharged into the Vantaa and Kerava rivers, via six ditches. Our efforts in managing the rain and run-off water have produced good results, for example in the Kylmäoja brook running on the western side of Helsinki Airport. As the quality of the water has improved, trout, for example, have returned to Kylmäoja. The quantity of oxygen-consuming substances is described by their chemical or biological oxygen consumption. In addition to the surface water coming from the airport, the humus-containing water in the nearby swamps affects the chemical oxygen consumption in the ditch waters. The loading of Kylmäoja has decreased considerably from the early 2000s, thanks to better management of glycol-containing waters and the fact that aircraft de-icing and anti-icing operations are now concentrated in designated areas. In addition to Helsinki Airport, suction vehicles are also used for collecting glycol-containing stormwater at Tampere-Pirkkala, Oulu, Kuopio and Jyväskylä Airports. Fire drills We have cooperated with environmental authorities regarding the deposits of perfluorinated compounds in the fire drill areas of our airports. Some of these compounds were commonly used in extinguishing foams for fuel fires until 2011, when their use was banned within the EU. These film-forming foams are no longer used in Finavia’s fire drill operations; instead, the fires are put out with water during the exercises. Responsibility report 2016 57
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2016 Responsibility report

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