Copenhagen Airport has launched CPH Air Lab, a new airside testing facility designed to examine whether filtration systems can remove ultrafine particles from air pollution linked to aircraft operations close to the source. The project sits within active airport operations and will trial five technologies over the coming months, with the best-performing options potentially moving to larger-scale tests next year.
The systems under review include mechanical filters, electrically charged surfaces and biological materials such as moss, all adapted from other industries. The airport is using the facility to assess performance in an operational airport environment rather than under laboratory conditions alone. If the trials prove effective, one possible next step is integration into blast fences already used to protect areas around aircraft engine airflow.
CPH Air Lab forms part of the Accelerate Sustainable Aviation Programme, a joint initiative between Copenhagen Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The work is aimed at improving air quality for airport workers and nearby communities, while also testing whether pollution can be captured in open-air conditions around aircraft handling areas.