All Nippon Airways (ANA) is launching new meal trays made from biodegradable materials for inflight meals, as part of its sustainability plans for 2050.
The new meal trays are composed of bagasse – the waste fibre created from pressing sugarcane – and will be introduced in August 2021 for economy class meals on international flights.
ANA has stated that by replacing the plastic meal trays, it will reduce the amount of disposable plastic used for inflight services by 30%.
“At ANA, we view sustainability as critical to our mission and we are constantly searching for ways to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Chikako Miyata, Senior Vice President and Director of Corporate Sustainability. “We will keep making efforts to improve sustainability and create a better planet. We will continue to consider innovative technologies that allow us to operate safely, efficiently and effectively as we serve the needs of customers worldwide.”
In 2020, ANA introduced plastic-free cutlery and straws, reducing the amount of plastic used by 25 tons compared to the previous year. The reduced use of plastic is central to ANA’s 2050 environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and the airline will continue exploring areas where it can reduce consumption and waste.
