Every year roughly 700 aircraft reach the end of their lifespan, but instead of going to a desert boneyard, a growing number end up at disassembly and recycling facilities … and for good reasons. Recycling aircraft cuts down on landfill waste, minimizes the industry’s environmental impact, reduces the need for new raw materials and saves the energy needed to produce new parts when old ones can be reused. For example, a Boeing 737-900 comprises approximately 93,700 pounds of mostly recyclable material.

The process of recycling an aircraft generally takes three to five weeks. After the aircraft is decommissioned, the disassembly company begins by draining all fluids, including fuel, coolant and hydraulic oils. Next, it removes components containing hazardous materials such as batteries, fire extinguishers and emergency oxygen systems.

Attention then turns to removing the aircraft’s key components: its engine, avionics (communication, navigation and electronics), landing gear and control surfaces. Ideally, the disassembly company will refurbish and sell them to airline carriers as refurbished parts. Reusing these not only saves resources but costs airlines 30–50 percent less than purchasing new from the manufacturer, according to XS Aviation, which sells such parts to airlines.

If parts can’t be refurbished, disassembly companies break them down and recycle their raw materials. The process repeats for less essential items, which can also sometimes be upcycled into art and collectibles.

According to Liset Geijselaers, COO, AELS (Aircraft End-of-Life-Solutions), the Netherlands-based disassembly company reuses and recycles about 85 percent of each aircraft. The remaining materials are the ones more difficult to recycle. For example, overhead bins and ceiling panels contain an unrecyclable epoxy, and tires present a challenge because they can leach harmful chemicals into the environment. Similarly, composite materials such as carbon fiber require extra work to extract its raw materials.

Once the aircraft is stripped of all recyclable parts, the company crushes the shell and recovers any remaining scrap metal. Finally, that metal is melted down and recycled. What little remains goes to the landfill.

While the exact amount of landfill waste depends on the aircraft and its condition, recycling significantly reduces its impact on the environment and makes flying just a little greener.