WasteAid and Lufthansa Group have launched a new animated training film designed to help cabin crew improve onboard waste segregation, supporting efforts to increase recycling and circularity across the airline’s operations. 

The short animation forms part of the ongoing collaboration between WasteAid and Lufthansa Group to reduce the amount of airline waste ending up in landfill. Developed as part of the Circular Economy Project at the Lufthansa Group Mumbai outstation, the film encourages cabin crew to segregate recyclable materials during flights, helping preserve the quality and value of materials before they enter the airport waste management system. 

The animation was developed following a detailed assessment of waste management practices for Lufthansa and SWISS flights arriving at the Mumbai outstation. Waste flow mapping and waste audits revealed that while some waste is segregated during cabin service and stored in tray-equipped trolley carts, many recyclable and perishable items are stored together as mixed waste. As a result, liquids, moisture and food residues from waste often contaminate otherwise recyclable materials, reducing their quality and limiting their potential for recycling. 

The film brings this challenge to life by following the journey of a paper box after it leaves the aircraft. It illustrates the downstream waste management process, from collection and sorting to recycling, showing how proper onboard segregation helps keep valuable materials in circulation. By highlighting the people and processes involved in recovering onboard waste, the animation also demonstrates how better segregation can improve working conditions for waste workers who manually sort waste after it is unloaded from the aircraft. 

Designed as a concise and engaging learning tool, the animation can be easily integrated into existing crew communications and training. Rather than introducing new procedures, it reinforces best practices and demonstrates how small actions during routine cabin service can collectively make a significant environmental impact. 

WasteAid worked closely with Lufthansa Group, airline catering partners, airport stakeholders, and local waste management organisations throughout the project to ensure the film reflects operational realities while promoting practical improvements that can be seamlessly incorporated into everyday flight operations. 

The animation forms part of WasteAid’s wider Circular Economy Project with Lufthansa Group in India, which aims to improve resource recovery from airline waste through better onboard segregation, strengthened recycling systems, and collaboration across the entire waste value chain. Together, these initiatives help divert valuable materials from landfill, strengthen local recycling systems, improve working conditions for waste workers, and keep resources in circulation for longer. 

WasteAid, in collaboration with Lufthansa, is continuing its work to improve the efficiency and traceability of inflight waste management systems in Mumbai. Following the successful completion of the baseline assessment, the project has now moved into its next phase — focused on strengthening waste segregation and handling processes along the inflight waste value chain.

To support this important work, Can Communicate, WasteAid’s filmmaking partner, has been commissioned to develop an animated training film aimed at motivating Lufthansa’s cabin crew to segregate waste effectively at source during flights. The animation will help bring to life the journey of inflight waste and the crucial role cabin crew play in improving recycling outcomes.

In preparation for this, the Can Communicate team joined WasteAid on a series of site visits to observe waste operations first-hand and gather insights for the film. This included a visit to the ComePost facility in Ulwe, where the team witnessed waste sorting and processing activities and gained a deeper understanding of current waste management practices.

During the visits, the WasteAid team met with the ComePost staff to discuss day-to-day challenges, operational constraints, and practical opportunities to enhance efficiency and sustainability within the existing system. These discussions are providing valuable input into the design of improved waste handling processes and communication tools for Lufthansa’s operations in India.

This next phase marks an exciting step in WasteAid and Lufthansa’s shared mission to build a more circular inflight waste management model, combining on-the-ground improvements with engaging awareness and training materials. Together, the partnership is helping drive measurable change toward a more sustainable aviation sector.

About the WasteAid–Lufthansa Partnership

In 2024, WasteAid and the Lufthansa Group launched a pioneering partnership to explore innovative ways of tackling inflight waste and improving resource recovery in the aviation industry. The collaboration aims to identify scalable models for effective waste segregation, recycling, and circularity within airline operations.

By combining Lufthansa’s global expertise in sustainable aviation with WasteAid’s experience in circular economy solutions, the initiative is setting new benchmarks for reducing waste and promoting responsible resource management across the airline sector.