Environmental Impact of Aircraft Deicing

Ethylene glycol based fluids are the primary aircraft anti-icing/deicing fluids used at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Due to the toxicity of the additives to anti-icing/deicing fluids and the oxygen limiting ability of ethylene glycol, significant efforts are required to control the release of stormwater contaminated with aircraft anti-icing/deicing fluids. It was recognized that both source control and end of pipe measures are required. Source control measures were implemented via retrofitting existing facilities and the construction of the Central Deicing Facility. Since 1990, a Master Stormwater Implementation Plan has been developed to design and construct appropriate end of pipe facilities at Toronto Pearson International Airport, at a cost of over $100 million. The combination of both source control and end of pipe measures have resulted in fewer "exceedances" of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act guideline for glycol contaminated runoff.