Japan's ANA to reduce single-use plastics inside its cabins and lounges

Effective Feb. 1, 2020, ANA HD will reduce its reliance on single-use plastics inside its cabins and lounges and replacing the plastic straws, stirring sticks and cutlery used in these areas.

The plastic straws will be replaced with eco-friendly bioplastic or paper straws while the new stirring sticks and cutlery will be made of wood.

As part of its comprehensive efforts to improve sustainability, the ANA Group adopted the Monitoring, Reporting, Verification (MRV) emission mitigation approach for the global airline industry starting on Jan. 1, 2019. Developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and ratified at the ICAO General Assembly in 2016, these approaches are collectively known as Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, or CORSIA. ANA HD will work with leading environmental experts  to develop plans on how best to reduce single-use plastics, mitigate climate change and address illegal wildlife trafficking.

“ANA HD is committed to building on its strong record of environmental leadership by adopting policies that will prepare us to meet the next generation of challenges,” said Ito Yutaka, Executive Vice President of ANA HD. “We have already made significant stride in our efforts to make ANA HD a more sustainable company, and reducing the use of plastics is another crucial step that we can take to keep moving forward. Protecting our shared home is central to ANA HD’s vision of a better-connected world and we will continue looking for opportunities to make our products and services more eco-friendly.”

Ocean contamination and the proliferation of microplastics have emerged as two of the most crucial environmental issues, and ANA HD is committed to taking decisive action to protect the planet. ANA HD has a legacy of sustainable activities and has been recognized as the first “Eco-First” Company in the airline and transport industry by Japan’s Ministry of Environment.

In addition to reducing the use of plastics, ANA HD has already made significant strides in the implementation of sustainable aircraft fuel. The airline has collaborated with LanzaTech to develop even more effective biofuels. Furthermore, as of March 2019, 75.9% of the ANA Group fleet consists of fuel-efficient aircraft models.

ANA HD’s first comprehensive environmental action plan dates back to 1998, when it published its “ANA Group Environmental Principles” employee guidelines. In order to address the environmental challenges from a more global perspective, ANA HD created “ANA FLY ECO 2020” a mid- to long-term environmental plan in 2012 targeting significant gains by 2020. ANA HD is on track to meet these lofty goals and will continue looking for ways to advance sustainable business practices.