Environmental Sustainability

EVA Air's operating sites in Taiwan receive running water from the local water utility company and do not utilize surface water, groundwater, or seawater sources. All the water discharged by the Company is classified as general domestic wastewater and is directed to the government's wastewater treatment facilities. Additionally, the Nankan Park facility has implemented rainwater and condensed water recycling systems. In 2022, a cooling tower water recycling and reuse system was introduced, resulting in a significant increase in water reutilization efficiency. The procurement of kitchen and restroom equipment for each office building primarily favors products with water efficiency labels; most restrooms have IR automatic sensor water faucets installed, and the faucets’ outgoing water settings are adjusted; the company carries out periodical promotional activities to raise the awareness of water conservation among employees, so as to achieve optimal utilization of water resources.

EVA Air upholds the Five R’s: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repair. We continue to implement waste management policies. Within our ground operations waste reduction measures, we have strengthened office area recycling facilities, the cardboard box of inflight service items reuse & recycling, employee dining ordering controls, old furniture reuse, paperless ticketing and shipping, office paperless communications, paperless aircraft maintenance forms, paperless office handbooks & documentation, and more. EVA Air also promotes the reduction of the generation and use of single-use plastic products by replacing them with biodegradable or recyclable plastics when possible. We have committed to reduce 90% of single-use plastic products consumption by 2030, compared with the base year of 2019. We believe that through product improvement, we can not only provide passengers with better services, but also exert our corporate influence to aid in environmental protection.

The waste generated by EVA Air comes from office activities and in-flight services. Waste generated from office activities does not have a significant impact on the environment, society or health. Since the establishment of the Company, there have been no records of severe waste or oil spills. EVA Air follows the legal requirements for waste management, including proper storage and classification. Recyclable materials are separated and entrusted to licensed professionals for recycling and proper disposal. There have been no incidents involving international transportation or disposal of hazardous waste.

EVA Air's primary operating sites in Taiwan have designated departments responsible for waste removal and disposal. Regular tracking and audits are conducted to ensure the legality and safety of the final disposal process. Waste, hazardous industrial waste, and recycling quantities are monitored and tracked specifically for the Nankan Park and EVA Air Taipei Building, which have the highest number of employees. This self-management approach ensures that there are no abnormal increases in waste generation. Waste generated from in-flight services mainly consists of service utensils and food waste, which are properly handled according to the regulations of the respective stations and do not have significant impacts.

In terms of in-flight waste, we are continuing to promote paperless publications. In addition, in response to international targets and policies to reduce plastics, we are working hard to implement reductions, right from the source. We are gradually planning to use lighter, more environmentally friendly materials for cabin supplies. At the same time, we have joined hands with suppliers in investing in development plans for cabin supplies and products; we are using recyclable, reusable materials for cabin supplies and product designs, in order to reduce use of packaging. Additionally, from 2023 onwards, Styrofoam food containers have been replaced with reusable cooler bags, and unlabeled mineral water bottles are also helping lower use of plastic labels. We have replaced five types of plastic bags with bags made of 100% recycled plastic. We are putting great emphasis on the concepts of recyclability, repulpability, and being plastic-free in our cabin supplies.
In terms of non-plastic packaging, natural-colored paper boxes and environmentally friendly ink are used for printing. We have also fully switched to environmentally-friendly packing tape made of 100% recycled PET film and hydrogels for our online purchases. EVA Air also commits to collaborating with suppliers to explore the use of sustainable packaging materials. Plastic packaging for onboard meals is gradually being phased out, with non-plastic packaging being used with yogurt for destinations such as New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Taipei in 2023. Butter provided at Chicago, Houston, Brisbane, Taipei, Vienna, Paris, and Chitose no longer uses plastic packaging. By requesting adjustments from catering services and reducing the use of plastic products, EVA Air aims to reduce its environmental impact.

In order to provide in-flight meals with no worry about food safety, we use the hygiene standards assessment form for airline catering established by the International Flight Service Association (IFSA) to do assessments. Every year, airline caterers that offer full-year in-flight meals are inspected for food safety. Our 2023 inspection rate was 100%. Inspections are done on airline caterers in line with local regulations. EVA Air encourages caterers to continue implementing environmental/occupational safety & health/energy management systems, such as those specified in ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO 50001, in order to enhance sustainability. In 2023, there was no violation of laws by EVA Air related to food safety or health concerns.
We commit to collaborating with our suppliers to reduce food loss throughout the life cycle stages, including sourcing, transportation, preparation, in-flight service, and post-flight processes. We also encourage the measurement and tracking of food waste quantities. For the in-flight food safety control, there are 7 steps: raw material testing, delivery truck control, low temperature preservation, food and tableware cleaning, cooking control, meal quality control, temperature control of aircraft loading. With the insistence on quality control and service enthusiasm, we provide tasty in-flight meals that are hygienic, safe, and convenient. In addition, EVA Air also conducted a survey on the food waste generated by the Evergreen Sky Catering Corporation during the meal preparation process in 2023. According to the preparation process, it was divided into preparation, hot kitchen, cold kitchen, and bakery. We ensure that 100% of the kitchen waste generated during the cooking process is converted into animal feed. In 2023, EVA Air's catering orders increased by 345% compared to 2022, while the total amount of kitchen waste only increased by 18%. Although there was growth in the overall amount of kitchen waste, it has remained under control.
The statistical results are as follows:

In terms of food loss management strategy, in addition to utilizing big data analysis and leveraging the expertise of our professionals to predict passenger check-in rates, we adjust the meal order reduction rate on different flight routes to continuously reduce food waste. Furthermore, by utilizing the CM (Amadeus Altéa Departure Control Customer Management) system, we track the number of no-show passengers and the status of connecting flights to estimate the check-in status of passengers and adjust meal quantities accordingly, thus minimizing food waste. Our catering staff worldwide undergo regular annual training to continuously improve their meal control skills. Combined with the implementation of online check-in and early access to passenger check-in data, we ensure timely information on passenger check-ins to avoid unnecessary food waste. Moreover, through the food loss monitoring feature of the Global Catering System (GCS), the food loss status of each station is monitored. The system will automatically inform the station with higher food loss percentages to conduct an investigation, implement food loss control, and achieve the strategic goal of global meal loss management.
In terms of our collaboration mechanism, we implement an operations process with our upstream catering suppliers. 72, 48, and 24 hours before a flight takes off, the system provides updated reservation numbers, which serves as a reference for caterers as they prepare ingredients. 24 hours prior to the flight, based on the estimated passenger check-in rate, we implement a meal order reduction. This reduces both waste of the caterers’ meal ingredients and food losses for the airline. Many countries have passed strict limits on the amount of food waste that can be produced on international flights, in order to protect their agriculture and to fight the pandemic. As a result, uneaten meals must all be incinerated, and cannot be used for other purposes or recycled. Currently, all food waste collected from round-trip Taoyuan and Songshan flights as well as from the flights to Vienna, Paris and London, Amsterdam, Munich, Milan, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Narita and New Chitose is incinerated in dedicated incinerators. Through the incineration process, the heat produced is converted via cogeneration into reusable energy.