Recent winter weather put our operations under pressure. Snow and freezing temperatures required close coordination with safety as the top priority. At the same time, the winter period also created opportunities to work more efficiently. New equipment, including a spraying vehicle that can treat an entire runway in a single run, increases efficiency and enables a more flexible response to changing conditions.
Sustainable de-icing
Alongside new equipment, a number of pilot projects have been running this winter. The objective is clear: to further reduce the environmental impact of de-icing activities, with particular attention to the surrounding waterways in the municipality of Steenokkerzeel.
Use of sweepers
After aircraft de-icing, residual de-icing fluid remains on the apron and at the stands. Using specialised sweepers, we are testing how efficiently these residues can be collected, preventing them from entering the drainage system.
Additional buffer capacity at the water treatment plant
At the airside water treatment facility, manure bags have currently been installed. These create a temporary additional buffer capacity of 1,700 m³, allowing larger volumes of contaminated water to be captured during peak periods. At a later stage, this water is gradually and safely returned to the water treatment plant for further processing.
Pre-treatment of north-east basin water
In a third pilot project, we are treating water from the north-east retention basin using an innovative purification technique. This ensures that the water is already treated before being discharged to the Vogelzangwacht basin in Steenokkerzeel.
Through these initiatives, we are already reducing our ecological footprint today while simultaneously gathering valuable insights for future investments in our water treatment infrastructure.