Introduction

One of the priorities of the Upper Silesian Aviation Group (GTL SA), managing the Katowice International Airport in Pyrzowice, are issues related to environmental protection.

GTL SA is not limited to acting in accordance with the scope only covered by the provisions of applicable laws, but strives to be a leader in environmental issues, building its image and opinion as an environmentally friendly company with potential clients and employees.

GTL SA has introduced an Integrated Management System, including the ISO 14001 environmental standard. In addition, investments planned for implementation within the airport include low-energy technologies and in accordance with BAT (Best Available Techniques).

Protection of natural resources

In recent years, the Group has modernised heating systems from fossil fuels to high methane content gas.

In addition, further construction works include the implementation of solar collectors for the support of central heating systems.

Since 2014 airport management is successively replacing boilers for modern, high-performance devices equipped with heat exchangers.

Limiting the consumption of electricity

Airport management is successively replacing lighting fixtures for LED lighting. In the case of new investments, the reduction of energy consumption in new facilities is also taken into account at planning level.

Protection of water resources

The Airport Rescue and Firefighting Service, which is on duty for 24 hours a day and whose members regularly train in the best centres in the world and have appropriate equipment to secure water leaks.

Pre-treatment systems have installed on all water drains from the paved surfaces of the airport, in order to protecting against pollution.

There are seven retention reservoirs with flow regulators allowing for securing receivers from damage, pollution and silting.

The quality of the water discharged is regularly tested and the test results are transmitted to the relevant quality control authorities.

The airport has a dedicated stand for de-icing airplanes, where de-icing waste is separated from thaw and rainwater. The resulting wastewater from the de-icing process is able to be properly managed depending on the contaminants it contains.

Noise protection

According to art. 175 of the Act on Environmental Protection Law from 2014, continuous monitoring of noise originating from air operations is conducted near Katowice Airport in Pyrzowice. Reports are regularly compiled from these surveys, which are forwarded to the environmental supervision authorities.

Due to the limitation of exposure of the population to the excessive impact of noise from air traffic Regulation nr IV / 53/12/2014 of the Silesian Voivodeship Assembly of 25 August 2014, an area of ​​limited use was established for Katowice International Airport in Pyrzowice. The subject area is an administrative and legal form of environmental protection, governed by applicable regulations allowing for the building of particular public facilities, which due to their specifications it is not possible to limit the excessive impact of noise pollution to the plot belonging to the investor.

Waste management

In terms of waste management, Katowice International Airport’s system acts in accordance with the resolutions of the Ożarowice district, and holds permits for the generation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste.

All waste categories in the port area are collected and carefully segregated and then transferred to specialized companies with installations allowing for the recovery of secondary raw materials and enabling the final disposal of given categories of waste.