IAG fuels the future with Wastefront investment

A major aviation group is backing an innovative project in the North East that will convert used tyres into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

IAG, whose airlines include British Airways and Aer Lingus, has invested in Wastefront, a Sunderland-based firm developing the UK’s largest tyre-to-fuel facility at the Port of Sunderland.

The £100 million plant, set to open in 2026 and become fully operational by 2027, will process up to 10 million waste tyres annually, reducing landfill and emissions while creating over 100 local jobs.

Wastefront will refine tyre-derived oil into SAF, cutting lifecycle carbon emissions by over 80 per cent compared to fossil fuels.

Vianney Valès, chief executive officer of Wastefront, said: “At Wastefront, our mission is to turn a problematic waste stream into a highly valuable resource. 

“We can create SAF at an extremely competitive cost with a very low environmental footprint - capable of reducing carbon emissions in the production process of up to 80 per cent compared to traditional jet fuels. 

“This investment is a testament to the potential of Wastefront’s technology in tackling waste and air pollution.”

The facility will play a role in meeting the UK’s new SAF mandate, which came into effect at the beginning of 2025 and requires 10 per cent of all jet fuel used in flights departing the UK to come from sustainable sources by 2030, rising to 22 per cent by 2040.

IAG’s investment in Wastefront aligns with its broader strategy to reduce carbon emissions across its operations, becoming the first European airline group to pledge 10 per cent SAF usage by 2030. 

Jonathon Counsell, IAG’s Group sustainability officer, added: “We’re proud to support innovators like Wastefront, who are finding new forms of feedstocks to produce advanced fuels. 

“However, as global demand for SAF grows, it’s crucial to expand production in the UK. 

“The recent Government mandate will help reduce aviation’s overall carbon impact, but airlines need confidence that the planned revenue certainty mechanism will support UK businesses in developing SAF technology without further increasing the cost base for UK airlines.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →