Disposing of airport waste in the Dominican Republic
The hidden challenges of airport waste
Most of us have been to an airport at least once in our lives, and with the chaotic atmosphere of getting through security and collecting your bags, we usually just focus on getting from A to B. Sometimes it is interesting to think about other aspects of what really happens at the airport, such as what happens to all the waste that is generated and where does it go?
While the majority of waste in airports is harmless we must always consider that some of this waste may carry huge risks to the local ecosystem. Leftover food, organic materials, some of which may house invasive species, medications/pharmaceuticals and other hazardous and general waste that is not safe to dispose of using a countries standard waste stream. Airports are usually relying on an 3rd party for offsite disposal, which itself brings risks of spreading diseases.
Collaborating with Constructolen S.R.L
In 2024, one of our representatives for the Dominican Republic, Constructolen S.R.L. reached out to one of our Spanish speaking team members, Eduardo, to collaborate on a tender to help tackle the growing waste issue across many airports on the island.
An airports daily operation can generate mountains of waste, leading to Organismo Internacional Regional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (International Regional Organisation for Animal and Plant Health) (OIRSA) found themselves needing a sustainable and efficient solution.
Our engineer and representative for Constructolen S.R.L. Lester said, “One of OIRSA’s main concerns is the strengthening of border biosecurity in our nine member countries, and with this new treatment centre in the Dominican Republic we are taking a step towards achieving this important objective for the benefit of the agricultural sector.”
As a result of this process six Addfield G200 general waste incinerators were selected for this project, each machine capable of tackling up to 200kg an hour of mixed general waste. The six incinerators are distributed between five airports in the region, including Cibao International Airport, Banreservas Aeropuerto Gregorio Luperón (Puerto Plata), La Romana International Airport, Punta Cana International Airport, and two at Las América Sel Aila.
They needed a reliable upgrade
Airports general waste can be more complex than you may think, it often consists of mixed waste organic food waste, plastic packaging, discarded items most of which cannot be recycled and having unknown origins the safety of disposing in a landfill cannot be guaranteed. Previous to the installation, these airports were all using old and outdated incinerators that were becoming overwhelmed by the growing volume of waste. These old incinerators had been in use for many years, however the constant use had taken its toll on the machines and they ended up becoming unsustainable, creating pollution and inefficient operation.
As experts in providing safe and clean waste disposal management for many international governments we were able to listen to the needs of OIRSA and provide the best solution for them, and selected the G200 due to the success of these machines across many other similar projects.
The airports were getting busier, creating more waste than they could manage. That’s where we came in, upgrading to the Addfield G200 incinerators delivered many benefits straight away with our advanced thermal design we were able to provide massive saving of fuel requirements using at least 40% less fuel than their aging systems. Additionally incorporating the latest advances in incineration technology deliver a much more efficient burn leading to cleaner emissions – an overall better operational experience for the airports and the local environments.
A greener future begins
This project was in collaboration with one of our agents for Latin America and highly skilled engineer, Lester who has helped with many installations over the years. “From the outset Constructolen S.R.L. searched for a solid and recognised company to manufacture environmentally friendly waste incineration solutions as well as quality machinery built to international standards. From this research we came up with the ideal company, Addfield Environmental Systems Ltd as their service is as their slogan says ‘Simply Built Better’”. – Lester.
This installation of the G200 airport waste incinerators is already transforming waste management at the airports, they are cleaner, more efficient, and better equipped to handle waste. As additional airports in the Dominican Republic implement these systems, we can already see the ripple effect as these have already inspired further countries across South America to upgrade their waste management.
Eduardo and Lester returned to the Dominican Republic in 2025 to be a part of the official opening ceremony of the two G200 general waste incinerators installed at Las América Sel Aila airport, where they saw the support from the community and the machines in action personally.
Addfield is proud to have played a key role in this revolutionary project. By delivering cutting-edge waste management solutions, OIRSA are helping airports and communities reduce pollution, protect public health, and promote sustainability. Alongside Cibao International Airport and Las América Sel Aila, there are three more installations to be completed during 2025, in Banreservas Aeropuerto Gregorio Luperón, La Romana International Airport and Punta Cana International Airport. This project is a powerful step towards a clear, greener future for the Dominican Republic
