The test is among growing efforts by European airports to deal with the environmental problems caused by deicing agents applied to runways and airplanes. Urea has traditionally been used to deice runways, while glycol has been applied directly to the planes. Glycol is not toxic in itself, but it eats up large amounts of oxygen in local waters, endangering ecosystems. It releases ammonia, which can kill fish. The U.K. National Rivers Authority seeks to limit the discharge of deicing materials into watercourses through the consents that it issues to airports.
Violators can face prosecution.
One plus is that a series of mild winters in Britain has meant that less deicer has had to be used. The decision to experiment with the mat, said Copenhagen Airport spokesman Bo Haugaard, was influenced by both environmental and safety considerations. Under the old system, he explained, some planes waited so long to take off after deicing that they had to go back for another treatment. The use of the mat allows planes to be deiced after they have left the apron, and as shortly before takeoff as possible. The mat is supplied by Roulunds Fabriker of Odense, Denmark.