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Air Caraibes and French Bee introduce new onboard recycling system for PET bottles; system relies on mobilization of on-board and ground teams, with commercial flight attendants collecting empty plastic bottles and Paprec ensuring the revalorization chain

Jun 17, 2025 Contify Aviation News 3 min read

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June 17, 2025 (Contify Aviation News) –

Key Highlights:

* The recycling of one ton of PET bottles can save up to 830 liters of crude oil and avoid the emission of 2.29 tons of CO2 equivalent.

* The partnership aims to reduce the airlines' environmental footprint and promote a more sustainable air transport model.

* The system relies on the mobilization of on-board and ground teams, with commercial flight attendants collecting empty plastic bottles and Paprec ensuring the revalorization chain.

Original Press Release:

Pointe-à-Pitre/Paris-Orly, June 5 -- Air Caraïbes issued the following news release:

Air Caraïbes and French bee are accelerating their environmental transition with the introduction of a new onboard recycling system for plastic bottles. This initiative marks a significant step forward in their shared commitment to making air travel more sustainable. The two airlines are committed to balancing accessibility, performance, and responsibility, and are transforming their operational model by integrating a dedicated PET recycling circuit.

Previously, PET bottles collected onboard were incinerated, like all other in-flight waste. Now, they will be subject to specific sorting and integrated into a revalorization chain managed by Paprec, a Newrest Orly partner. The bottles will be collected, transformed into flakes, and then recycled.

This system aims to recycle over 174,000 plastic bottles annually: Air Caraïbes: 8,345 bottles/month, or approximately 100,150 bottles/year French bee: 6,158 bottles/month, or approximately 73,900 bottles/year For example, recycling one ton of PET bottles can save up to 830 liters of crude oil and avoid the emission of 2.29 tons of CO2 equivalent. By redirecting these waste streams to a revalorization chain, Air Caraïbes and French bee are concretely reducing their environmental footprint. This operational approach and strategic partnership rely on the close mobilization of onboard and ground teams.

Commercial flight attendants will collect empty plastic bottles in 'green' cabinets integrated into cabin equipment. Upon arrival at Paris-Orly airport, Newrest Orly will collect and sort these specific waste streams, and Paprec, a partner of Newrest, will perform between two and four pickups per week, depending on volumes, for treatment and recycling. Hugues Heddebault, Air Caraïbes' commercial director, states: 'As a company rooted in the overseas territories, we have a direct responsibility to address environmental challenges.

That's why we're taking concrete actions, integrated into our operations, to actively contribute to the transformation of our sector.' Marc-Antoine Blondeau, French bee's general manager, comments: 'This launch reflects our commitment to making environmental engagement a core part of our growth strategy. At French bee, we believe that performance relies on the ability to combine efficiency, innovation, and responsibility.'

This new system illustrates the dynamic transformation driven by Air Caraïbes and French bee to evolve their practices in a concrete and responsible manner by integrating environmental challenges into their daily operations. It is part of a continuous progress approach, driven by teams and partners, in the service of a more sustainable air travel.

Disclaimer: The Above Content is Auto-Translated

[Category: Transportation/ Logistics, Transportation Infrastructure, Partnerships and Alliances, ESG]

Source: Air Caraïbes

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