Alaska Air Group diverted 230 tons of aluminum for recycling in 2011

Alaska Air Group diverted enough aluminum last year to build three new airplanes, according to the company's first comprehensive corporate sustainability report.

Specifically, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air in-flight recycling programs diverted more than 800 tons of waste from landfills, including 230 tons of aluminum and 185 tons of paper, according to a news release.

"Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air strive to be good airlines for our customers, good places to work for our employees, a good business for our investors and environmental stewards of our planet," Brad Tilden, Alaska Air Group's president and CEO, said in a statement. "Our 2012 sustainability report comprehensively documents our corporate social responsibility efforts and provides a platform for collaboration and continued improvement as we seek to lead the airline industry in environmental stewardship."

Alaska Air Group's recycling goals for this year include increasing its recycling collection rate to 70%, making sure recycling is available at 100% of its flight kitchens and replacing aseptic juice boxes with those made of Forest Stewardship Council-certified material.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air serve more than 90 cities in Alaska, the continental U.S., Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Horizon Air has been recycling in-flight waste since the late 1980s, the company said.