Gatwick has become the first UK airport to achieve a Zero Waste to Landfill accreditation from the Carbon Trust.

The airport has achieved this by reducing waste, finding ways to reuse materials, introducing specialist coffee cup and plastic bottle recycling and using rubbish to generate energy by building the world’s first on-airport plant.

Gatwick has also been re-certified as a Carbon Neutral airport through measures including using 100% renewable electricity, carbon credits and LED lights on the runway.

It recorded a 10% reduction in annual carbon emissions from fuel and energy and a 5% drop in annual energy consumption per passenger since last year.

Hugh Jones, Managing Director of Carbon Trust Business Services, said: “Gatwick is setting an excellent example, showing how a business can improve its operational efficiency and its environmental results at the same time, as well as encouraging higher levels of action elsewhere by positively influencing other companies that operate at the airport site.”