Belo Horizonte Airport receives an award for outstanding social impact and emissions management

For the third consecutive year, BH Airport has been recognized with the Sustainable Airports seal from the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC). During the 6th Sustainable Airports Awards ceremony, held on Tuesday (July 8th) in Brasília, the terminal was recognized as a national highlight, among the largest, in the Society category—which evaluates corporate governance and social engagement of airports—and in the Externalities category—which evaluates the management of emissions and aeronautical noise at airports.

ANAC recognized the best practices of Brazilian airport operators amid the challenges of energy transition and climate change. A total of 37 initiatives were submitted. They were evaluated within the biennial period (2023/2024) and across three independent areas: airport social engagement (Society), management of energy consumption, water resources, and waste (Inputs), and management of emissions and noise (Externalities). During the event, 11 airports were recognized based on their operational profile and passenger traffic.

BH Airport’s Engineering and Maintenance Manager, Emerson Chaves, celebrated the recognition, emphasizing that the issue is strategic for the terminal. “Sustainability is embedded in our operations, whether through the use of renewable energy, water reuse, waste recycling, or various initiatives to reduce pollutant gas and noise emissions. We are deeply honored by this award and thank ANAC for this important program, which encourages the improvement of environmental indicators and efficiency initiatives in the sector,” he stated.

This is the third time BH Airport has been recognized as a Sustainable Airport by ANAC. In 2023 and 2024, when the award had a different format, recognizing a single airport, BH Airport was recognized as the Most Sustainable Airport in Brazil. The Minas Gerais international terminal is also the first carbon-neutral airport in the country through the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program, in addition to having received the Green Airport designation four times in a row from the Airports Council International (ACI).

Social Engagement and Emissions Management

Awarded in the Society and Externalities categories, BH Airport has several initiatives that demonstrate its leadership in these areas. One example is the work carried out since 2014 with the Lagoa Santa Recyclable Materials Collectors Association (Ascamare), which is responsible for sorting and disposing of recyclable waste generated at the airport. In 2024, the milestone was 3,750 tons of waste collected, an achievement that reinforces the airport’s socio-environmental pillar, as recycling contributes to reducing pollutant gas emissions and also directly benefits 22 families associated with the cooperative. Another example is the 400HZ + PCA project, which aims to replace fossil fuels with certified renewable electricity during aircraft ground support activities. Previously, this process was accomplished through kerosene fueling and diesel generators. Furthermore, BH Airport is investing in replacing its fleet: patrol motorcycles, ground operations vehicles, and apron inspection vehicles have already been converted to electric versions. In 2024, the terminal invested R$500,000 in four electric vehicles, which will contribute to a reduction of 30 tons of CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere per year. The goal is to eliminate all direct emissions from BH Airport by 2044.