77 AirportImprovement.com May | June 2026 CONCESSIONS SEA “We started communicating with our concessions and lounges through routine meetings and presentations,” Webb adds. “We listened to their feedback and tried to tailor the program to address our needs, while meeting theirs as well.” During planning, the airport discovered that many tenants used mainline distributors for packaging and often experienced intermittent product shortages. This required the airport to be flexible and incorporate waivers and exemptions into the program, Moore notes. For instance, a lack of available compostable wide straws for boba teas required a permanent waiver. Ultimately, SEA revised its rules and regulations governing all tenant operations at the airport. The new document includes a section outlining food serviceware requirements. It now specifies that sit-down dining locations with dishwashing facilities must use reusable dishes, and that all takeout packaging must be third-party certified as compostable by the Compost Manufacturing Alliance. Webb notes that certification is also available through the Biodegradable Products Institute, but SEA’s composting partner only accepts materials certified by the Compost Manufacturing Alliance, which includes additional field testing; so the airport structured its requirements for tenants accordingly. The updated tenant document also outlines guidelines for temporary substitutions. “We allow some flexibility for short-term outages under 30 days, as well as longer- term unavailability of certain products,” he explains. “It also describes how tenants can remain compliant using alternative products during these periods and provides detailed instructions on the notifications and updates they are required to submit.” To obtain a waiver, tenants must supply the Airport Dining and Retail Department with a detailed letter explaining why one is needed. “The number of waiver requests we receive is very slim,” Moore shares. “We typically only get one or two annually, and 99% of the time they are because of inventory delays.” Securing Sustainable Products Before launching the program, SEA gave tenants more than two years to prepare. This provided time to identify items that were easy to phase out and locate sources for approved alternatives. It also helped them determine which regularly used items could not be phased out. “We helped them fine-tune their processes so they could lean into more reusable and compostable processes,” Moore explains. The preparation period also gave ample time for tenants to test new supplies, Webb adds. “Compostable products don’t always behave exactly as your traditional plastic or non-compostable options,” he acknowledges. “Vendors had to test products and identify supply sourcing. Giving them more time to do both helped them comply with the new regulations.” The airport then implemented a phased rollout, which affected about 75 concessionaires and lounges. For a Deeper Clean FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 800.258.9626 | TYMCO.COM ROUTINE CLEANING OF RAMP, RUNWAY, & ROADS Removes FOD that can hide in cracks & crevices • Chassis Mounted Magnet removes ferrous metals at sweeping speeds up to 25 miles per hour. • Lateral Air Flow Nozzle clears debris, such as sand, grass and snow from runways and taxiways. • Liquid Recovery System removes and recovers standing liquids, such as glycol. • Runway Sweeper, High Speed Performance. Photo courtesy of Meridian Regional Airport Model 600® HSP® Options REGENERATIVE AIR SWEEPERS
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