Noise pollution and air quality

Measures to combat noise pollution

The fight against noise pollution is carried out according to the approach defined by the European Union by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, which draws up the action plan.

The action plan to combat noise at Luxembourg Airport was adopted by the Council of Government on 28 May and 26 November 2010, transposing Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament. The Council of Government then approved an update of the said action plan on 21 February 2018.

The Air Transport Directorate at the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works coordinates noise management measures relating to air traffic with airport stakeholders. These measures concern:

• the noise at source;
• the operational procedures;
• the airspace management.

When it comes to flying equipment, Luxembourg operators are at the cutting edge. Cargolux has bought 14 Boeing 747-8F aircraft to replace its fleet of Boeing 747-400Fs. Luxair, for its part, has already acquired 10 Bombardier Q400s, among the quietest aircraft in this category, to replace its Embraer aircraft and 4 Boeing 737-800s.

It should be noted that the action plan is a living document in the sense that it will have to be updated every 5 years in order to adapt it to the given situation and thus make it evolve.

At present, the noise situation at national level is represented by the strategic mapping published in the 2021 noise action plan. It shows that despite the general increase in traffic and activity at Luxembourg airport, the noise situation has remained stable compared with 6 years ago.

As part of the fight against noise, the government has introduced a system of financial aid to improve the acoustic insulation of residential buildings against airborne noise. Applications for financial aid for noise are managed by the Environmental Administration.

Air quality

Plans and strategies for air quality have been drawn up, setting out the national actions planned to improve air quality in Luxembourg.

Emissions from aviation are mainly NOx, CO, CO2 and SO particles, i.e. fine and ultrafine particles.

The Environment Agency is currently carrying out a study at the airport and its immediate surroundings to assess the impact of airport activity on the quality of the surrounding air. To obtain accurate and reliable data, the various collectors must be located as close as possible to the runway.

Cleaning up the airport site

Cleaning up the airport site also presents a major environmental challenge in terms of wastewater management.

Treatment of airport wastewater varies according to the type of pollution:

• household wastewater is treated in the same way as wastewater from households in the various communes;
• wastewater from runway de-icing, charged with formate;
• wastewater from aircraft de-icing, charged with antifreeze.

To this end, the existing biological treatment plant at Uebersyren is to be expanded and modernised. The new facility will also be able to treat micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals and phosphorus.

The project promises to be a complicated one, given that the treatment plant will have to continue operating during the construction phase. The National Roads Administration (PCH) will be the contracting authority for the construction of a new water pipeline from the airport to the Uebersyren wastewater treatment plant. Work is scheduled for completion in 2023.

The retention basins on the airport site are equipped with sensors to close the valves in the event of excessive water pollution, so as not to mix polluted water with domestic wastewater. A bypass has also been installed to separate glycol-laden water from other wastewater.