Abstract:
Airport operations generate significant environmental pressures due to continuous activities, high passenger throughput, and large-scale construction and maintenance works. Among these pressures, environmental management-particularly solid waste management-poses persistent challenges in aligning operational practices with available knowledge and evolving regulatory frameworks. This challenge is especially evident in rapidly developing and transitional contexts, where environmental regulations may lag behind practical management needs.
This study proposes an applied knowledge circulation framework for environmental management in airport operations, aiming to bridge the gap between operational practice, environmental knowledge, and regulatory requirements. Drawing on principles of applied and practice-based research, the framework conceptualizes knowledge as a dynamic and iterative process that is continuously generated, adapted, and refined through real-world application. The proposed Knowledge Circulation Cycle integrates three core components: operational practice, available knowledge (including circular economy concepts and best practices), and the regulatory framework, forming a closed-loop system that supports learning and continuous improvement.
Rather than presenting a technical solution or detailed quantitative assessment, this paper focuses on methodological contribution by providing a structured approach for analyzing environmental management practices in airport operations. The framework is illustrated through an application to airport solid waste management using simplified environmental data, tables, and conceptual figures. The results demonstrate the potential of the proposed framework to support adaptive environmental management, evidence-informed decision-making, and governance improvement in airport operations.
Keywords: environmental management; knowledge circulation; airport operations; applied research framework; circular economy.
References
[1]. Flyvbjerg, B. (2014). What you should know about megaprojects and why. PM World Journal, 3(2), 1–18.
[2]. International Civil Aviation Organization (2017) An Environmental Management System for Airports Eco Airort Tootkit.
[3]. Reason, P., & Bradbury, H. (Eds.). (2008). The SAGE handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice (2nd ed.). London, UK: SAGE Publications.
[4]. Van de Ven, A. H. (2007). Engaged scholarship: A guide for organizational and social research. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
[5]. Lai, T. A. (2026). Research on solutions for solid waste management at Noi Bai airport based on a circular economy model. Master's Thesis – University of Transport Technology (in Vietnamese).
[6]. Gibbons, M., Limoges, C., Nowotny, H., Schwartzman, S., Scott, P., & Trow, M. (1994). The new production of knowledge: The dynamics of science and research in contemporary societies. London, UK: SAGE Publications.
[7]. Nguyen, V. T. (2025). Investing in a crushing and screening system for recycling construction materials to increase material reuse, reduce solid waste and optimize costs at Noi Bai International Airport. Technical innovation report, ACV (in Vietnamese).
[8]. Lai, T. A. (2025). Analysis of risks to the Investor (Port Director) when construction solid waste is not properly treated and the disposal documentation cannot be proven. Internal risk analysis report, ACV (in Vietnamese).
[9]. Nutley, S., Walter, I., & Davies, H. T. O. (2007). Using evidence: How research can inform public services. Bristol, UK: Policy Press.
[10]. OECD. (2015). Public governance and infrastructure investment: Building trust in the public–private interface. Paris, France: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264230041-en.
