How everyday food waste is helping build a more sustainable future
At Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, sustainability is becoming part of the everyday travel experience, including what happens after passengers grab a coffee, snack or meal before takeoff.
Behind the scenes in CLE’s dining areas, food scraps and coffee grounds that once may have gone to landfills are now getting a second life through the airport’s growing composting program.
In partnership with concessionaire partner Fraport and Cleveland-based composting cooperative Rust Belt Riders, CLE is working to reduce waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions and support a stronger local circular economy.
And the impact is already adding up.
In 2025, CLE composted more than 39,000 pounds of food waste, helping divert organic material from landfills and turn it into nutrient-rich compost that supports soil health and local food systems across Northeast Ohio.
The process is simple, but meaningful.
When travelers purchase coffee from Dunkin’ or meals from Great Lakes Brewing Company, compostable food scraps and coffee grounds are collected separately in dedicated light green compost buckets instead of being placed in regular trash. Participating concessionaires exchange full buckets for clean ones, allowing the program to fit into daily airport operations.
Rust Belt Riders then collects the organic waste and processes it into compost that supports gardens, farms and local growing efforts throughout the Cleveland region.
Current composting participants include Dunkin’, Great Lakes Brewing Company and Inca Tea, with plans to continue expanding the program across additional airport concession locations.
With 27 food and beverage locations throughout CLE, there is plenty of room for this effort to grow, along with the potential environmental impact.
The composting program is one part of CLE’s broader sustainability work and supports the goals outlined in the airport’s Sustainability Management Plan, which guides long-term efforts around environmental stewardship, operational resilience and sustainable growth.
Most passengers may never see the compost buckets behind concession counters or the collection process happening throughout the terminal. But every cup of coffee, every meal served and every pound of compost collected contributes to a bigger sustainability story at CLE.
Small actions, when multiplied across millions of travelers and daily airport operations, can make a meaningful difference.
As CLE continues expanding its sustainability efforts, composting is a strong example of how airports can work alongside local businesses and community partners to create impact that extends beyond the terminal.
Together, CLE and its partners are helping turn food waste into a resource, reduce emissions, support local soil health and build a greener future for Northeast Ohio.
To learn more about CLE’s sustainability initiatives and Sustainability Management Plan, visit the Environmental Sustainability page at ClevelandAirport.com.
