U.S. airports are being required, under a new federal environmental rule, to comply with technology-based guidelines intended to limit the use of toxic pavement deicers and the discharge of hazardous aircraft deicing fluids. In developing the final rule, which took effect June 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discarded initial proposals that, in part, would have limited the deicing of airplanes at airport gates and required expanded use of centralized deicing pads and glycol-collection trucks. Organizations representing airports, airlines and airline pilots had opposed those proposals, citing safety concerns, among other issues.
Although EPA has jurisdiction over environmental concerns, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for regulating and providing guidance on safely conducting these activities.
The new regulation,1 following a three-year analysis of public comments and data, addresses issues intended to improve the management of …
