The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), recently adopted 2030 sustainability goals and pledged to reduce its emissions and water use; divert more of its waste stream by either consuming less or reusing, recycling or composting what is used; and increase employee engagement and understanding of sustainability.
Learn more about the MAC’s sustainability efforts:
Waste Management Travel Tips
Approximately 100,000 passengers travel through MSP each day. To manage the volume of waste left behind, the MAC established an in-terminal recycling program in 1997 and continues to make strategic investments to meet its goal of reducing, reusing, recycling, or composting 75% of all MSP waste by 2030.
Help us reduce waste on your next journey through MSP. Below are a few tips to minimize your footprint at the airport and beyond:
Sort your waste responsibly - we make it easy
In addition to providing recycling bins in all public areas, the airport utilizes easy-to-understand, standardized labels to avoid confusion at the recycling bin. Furthermore, MSP provides liquid diversion bins before security and at food courts to better manage liquid waste, which can weigh down and contaminate recyclables. Please take a moment to pause and sort your waste responsibly.
Bring your own bottle or cup and fill up post-security
Drink responsibly! MSP offers many water bottle refill stations inside the terminals to further reduce single-use plastic consumption. To find a refill station by your gate, ask a volunteer or click on our interactive map and search ‘water refill station.’
Craving some caffeine? Participating coffee shops offer discounts to customers using their own cups. For example, Caribou Coffee and Roasting Plant each offer a $0.25 discount and both Starbucks and Joe & the Juice take $0.10 off your order when you bring your own cup. Size limits for reusable cups range from 16 to 20 oz. per store. Ask your barista for more information. Sip and save at MSP!
Skip single-use plastics
Skipping single-use plastics like straws and bags may seem like a small action, but over time and at scale it can have a big impact. To reduce single-use plastics, MSP concessionaires are trained to only distribute plastic straws and to-go bags upon customer request. Be mindful of your consumption and only take what you need.
Dine in to reduce waste altogether
If you find yourself hungry before a flight, consider dining in to eliminate single-use packaging. If you are in a hurry, consider Farmer’s Fridge. Available 24/7 at both terminals, this smart-tech refrigerated vending machine provides fresh and healthy food options for passengers on the go. Better yet, customers can deposit their BPA-free containers back into the machine, where they are later collected and recycled.
Go digital to eliminate paper
Leverage electronic travel documents within your airline's mobile app to avoid paper waste. If you plan to park at MSP, make a reservation online to eliminate printed receipts – it’s all on your phone. If you do happen to generate paper waste during your travels, be sure to recycle it!
