AIRPORT OPERATING NORMALLY
Ecopetrol and El Dorado Airport Inaugurate Second Segment of Main Taxiway, Paved with Recycled Plastic
- The intervened segment has an area of 680m2 and is designed for the transit of Echo category aircraft (Boeing 787-9) with a maximum weight of 255,000 kg.
- The material used for the pavement is more environmentally friendly and offers greater durability and resistance than asphalt.
Bogotá, August 9, 2023 – Ecopetrol and El Dorado Airport inaugurated the second road segment of a main taxiway, paved with modified asphalt containing post-consumer recycled plastic that technically complies with all parameters required by the Colombian Aeronautical Regulations.
In the pavement of this segment, which is used by aircraft to access the national and international terminals, an asphalt mixture with 415 kg of recycled plastic was used, equivalent to 245,000 bags, one of the products that generate the most pollution in ecosystems and has low utilization in recycling processes due to its difficult recovery.
"We are proud of this joint work with Ecopetrol, which allows us to strengthen the airport's pavement maintenance processes by incorporating plastic waste into the asphalt mixture, promoting a circular economy from the business sector to continue protecting and conserving the planet," said Natali Leal, General Manager of OPAIN.
"We are pleased to achieve another milestone in our mission to promote the use of asphalt with recycled plastic in Colombia. With this segment, we have completed 10 pavements in different parts of the country. This product, in addition to being more environmentally friendly, has greater durability and resistance," said Sandra Ballén, Head of the Business Development Department at Ecopetrol.
Carolina Barbanti, Acting President of ANI, stated, "From the National Infrastructure Agency, together with OPAIN, we are implementing modified pavements with plastic bags, contributing to innovation and technology. We are also contributing to our planet's circular economy."
During the second half of 2023, the paving of taxiways at El Dorado Airport will continue, incorporating recovered plastic transformed through a partnership with Esenttia, a subsidiary of the Ecopetrol Group.
About OPAIN - El Dorado Airport Concessionaire
OPAIN, the concessionaire that manages El Dorado Airport, which is Colombia's gateway to the world, has positioned itself as the top cargo transportation airport in Latin America and the third in passenger transportation in the region.
It has been recognized as the best airport in South America by the British firm Skytrax and as the leading airport in South America by the World Travel Awards. El Dorado is becoming a global reference for its sustainable operation, which is why this year it became the world's first airport to receive the highest LEED Platinum (EBOM 4.1) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
About Ecopetrol
Ecopetrol is Colombia's largest company and one of the leading integrated energy companies in the Americas, with more than 18,000 employees. In Colombia, it is responsible for over 60% of hydrocarbon production and a significant portion of the hydrocarbon transportation, logistics, and refining system. It also holds leading positions in petrochemicals and gas distribution. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, Ecopetrol is involved in energy transmission, real-time system management (XM), and the Barranquilla-Cartagena Coastal Road concession. Internationally, Ecopetrol has a presence in strategic basins in the Americas, with E&P operations in the United States (Permian Basin and Gulf of Mexico), Brazil, and Mexico. Through ISA and its subsidiaries, it holds leading positions in the energy transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, as well as road concessions in Chile and telecommunications.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, estimates of operational and financial results, and statements related to Ecopetrol's growth prospects. All of these are projections and are based solely on management's expectations regarding the company's future and its ongoing access to capital to finance the company's business plan. The realization of these estimates in the future depends on market conditions, regulations, competition, the performance of the Colombian economy and the industry, among other factors, and is therefore subject to change without prior notice.
For more information:
OPAIN
Eduardo Andrade – Senior Consultant Modum
Cel: 3102808786
Natalia Pinto Celis – External Communications Coordinator
Cel: 3194207049
Ecopetrol
Media Relations Juan Guillermo Londoño
