To meet future demands of infrastructure for aviation, Zurich Airport with its partners set up the expansion plan "Airport 2000" involving investments of approximately CHF 2 billion (USD 1.4 billion at current exchange rates). The environmental impact assessment, mandatory for such a project, showed an increase in emissions in the "business as usual" scenario. Already now, NOx concentrations in the area Zurich North/airport are 30% higher than the yearly standard set in law while ozone concentrations in summer are 60% above the standards. The total NOx emissions of the Zurich Airport are nearly 1500 tons/year (VOC emissions are at about 700 tons/year). As one measure to fight air traffic related pollution an aircraft engine emission charge was introduced on September 1, 1997. According to the airport authority, the charge is expected to reduce NOx emissions at the airport by about 5%.The aircraft engine emission charge is expressed as a percentage of the regular landing fee which is added to the landing fee as such. Based on a number of considerations such as clean air incentives, available technologies, existing and forecast fleet mix, five classes were defined each for turbofan and shaft engines, giving a range of engine emission factors within each class. Class 5 (which currently includes 48% of all scheduled and charter planes) is free of charge. Airline operators with planes in Class 4 (17% of all planes) pay 5% of the regular landing fee, Class 3 (30%) pays 10%, Class 2 (2%) pays 20% and class 1 (2%) pays 40%. The charge doubles from one class to the next, which indicates the intended economic incentive for promoting and accelerating the introduction and use of best available engine technology in order to stabilize airport emissions without having to set limits to operations. The emission charge is cost-neutral as at the time of introduction the overall landing fees were decreased by 5%. This means that nearly half of all landings (Class 5) even pay 5% less overall landing fees than before while a landing of the most polluting planes costs 35% more.
Apart from the size of aircraft engines, the air emission charge is based on NOx and VOC emissions in the LTO (Landing and Take-Off) cycle. During the LTO cycle 20-30% of the NOx emissions and up to 90% of the VOC emissions of an entire flight are caused. For turbofan engines (TF) and turboshaft engines (TS), the engine emission factor (EEF) is defined as follows:
EEFTF = (NOxLTO + VOCLTO) / max. thrust [g/kN]
EEFTS = (NOxLTO + VOCLTO) / power [mg/hp]
The total yearly revenue from the air emission charge is estimated at CHF 4.5 mln (USD 3.2 mln at current exchange rates). Revenues will be used to finance projects related to emissions from air traffic in the context of airport expansion (for instance, air pollution monitoring stations, fixed ground power stations, measures to reduce road transport to/from the airport, aircraft approach/departure system).
By the end of 1997, the air emission charge is planned to be introduced also at the Geneva airport. For the Basel-Mulhouse airport the situation is not clear yet due to its bi-national status.
Information Brief "Aircraft Engine Emission Charges at Zurich Airport" is available free of charge from the Zurich Airport Authority, Environmental Protection, 8058 Zurich, Switzerland; Fax: +41-1-8164760.