Council for Green Transition Advocates for Cleaner Aircraft Fuels

Residents living near Copenhagen Airport are concerned that the airport’s development plans will lead to an increase in the emission of ultrafine particles. These plans involve making room for larger aircraft that can accommodate more passengers. However, locals fear this will mean more planes taking off and landing, thus escalating air pollution.

Ultrafine particles are formed when aircraft engines burn fuel. These particles are harmful to health and can cause lung and cardiovascular diseases.

The Council for Green Transition, an independent environmental organization, suggests a solution to help mitigate air pollution for those living near the airport. They propose allocating a portion of the revenue from passenger taxes to ensure cleaner aircraft fuel at Copenhagen Airport.

Low-aromatic aircraft fuel is a cleaner type of fuel where the aromatic content has been reduced and most of the sulfur removed. This results in cleaner combustion, less soot formation, and significantly fewer ultrafine particles.

The Council for Green Transition believes that some of the funds from the passenger tax should be used for cleaner aircraft fuels at Copenhagen Airport. The passenger tax on aviation will take effect on January 1, 2025. It has already been decided that some of the money will go to increase the elderly check, with the rest going to green transition in aviation.

Copenhagen Airport also supports this idea. If the government decides to use some of the money from the passenger tax to start using low-aromatic aircraft fuels, the transition to cleaner fuel can begin much faster than waiting for sustainable fuels, says Maria Skotte, Sustainability Manager at Copenhagen Airport.

The Council for Green Transition believes that it would be realistic to use low-aromatic aircraft fuels at Copenhagen Airport from January 1, 2026. The Danish climate minister was contacted for comment but was unavailable.