b'TERMINALSJFK35at designated pickup points. During high-congestion times,add up to meaningful environmental impact. The equipment also weve seen a 30% to 40% reduction in wait times, Bettuaserves as a communication tool, displaying sustainability messages reports. The system also provides T4 staff with analytics toand retail promotions when not being used for sorting.optimize fleet distribution and staffing based on predicted patternsThe new system has already delivered notable improvements up to one month in advance. That lets JFKIAT proactivelyat T4, including 71% contamination-free disposal (compared to manage its cart fleet and deliver a smoother, more dependableabout 30% across New York), a 95% accuracy rate for bottle passenger experience, Bettua comments. recycling and a 65% improvement in overall recycling purity, Certifiably GreenMurad reports. On the sustainability front, T4 became the first pre-existingIn particular, the Oscar unit improves sorting accuracy for items airport terminal in the United States to achieve LEED Platinumthat often cause confusion, like food containers and food scraps. certificationa milestone that requires long-term commitment,Correct disposal of food boxes now occurs at rates roughly operational discipline and continuous investment, says Huinink. While some organizations achieve certification once, JFKIAT is actively pursuing recertification, which he says is more demanding because it requires meeting new goals and making ongoing improvements. We keep investing in innovative initiatives, Huinink says. Were pretty proud of having a holistic approach. The terminal operator achieved LEED Platinum by working with its partners to meet ambitious targets for energy efficiency, greenhouse emission reduction, water conservation, waste management, indoor air quality and sustainable transportation.Other recent sustainability efforts include purchasing Green-e Renewable Energy Certificates as part of an immediate carbon reduction strategy and commitment to reaching net-zero carbon by 2050. Thanks to this investment and facility changes such as upgraded lighting, HVAC systems and building controls, T4 has reduced its carbon footprint by 16%. The terminal has also procured sustainable aviation fuel to help offset business travel emissions. One of the most visible new sustainability features in the terminal is Oscar Sort, an interactive waste-sorting assistant from Intuitive AI. By using computer vision, Oscar can recognize what a person is holding and instantly guide them to the correct binlifting recycling accuracy to as high as 96%, says Hassan Murad, theHASSAN MURADcompanys chief executive officer. Whats happening at JFK Terminal 4 is a clear demonstration that visual, at-the-source guidance fundamentally changes how people sort waste; those small moments of clarity AirportImprovement.comJanuary | February 2026'