Reducing Plastic Waste in the Hospitality Industry

All industries need to take action to reduce their carbon emissions, environmental impact and future proof their operations. For the hospitality industry, and in particular the hotel industry, the impact of the climate crisis on tourism and travel trends is already having a big impact, as extreme weather events, heatwaves and wildfires disrupt traditional holiday destinations and attractions.

Tourism is responsible for around 5% of global carbon emissions, and the hospitality industry is responsible for up to 15% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, and hotels produce 289,700 tonnes of waste annually in the UK alone. Single-use plastics are common for hotels and resorts within their operations, which generate mountains of waste that are mostly landfilled while also consuming large quantities of energy and water.

To mitigate its environmental footprint, the hospitality industry needs to reduce emissions by 66% by 2030 and 90% by 2050 compared to 2010 levels. Achieving these targets is crucial to ensuring that the industry’s growth does not result in an increase in carbon emissions.

Moreover, a UN report finds that around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction. This situation needs to be a concern for the hospitality sector, which also depends on the natural world and areas of natural beauty to attract guests. The industry impacts biodiversity directly through land use, resource consumption, and plastic pollution, and indirectly through greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainable alternatives help reduce the carbon footprint in the hospitality industry and protect biodiversity, ensuring that the industry can thrive without compromising the planet's health.

Key Areas to Reduce Plastic Waste in Hospitality Sectors

Coordinated efforts to reduce single-use plastic production, supply and usage are gaining momentum worldwide. In 2019, the European Parliament ban on single-use plastics aimed to mitigate environmental damage across the 27 member states. This legislation has inspired similar actions globally, such as bans on single-use packaging in hotel rooms in New York and South Korea, and President Biden's Executive Order 14057, which targets the phase-out of single-use plastics on Department-managed lands by 2032.

Hotels, spas and leisure centres might face significant challenges in eliminating single-use plastics, given their widespread use in both guest rooms and public areas. However, several key areas can be targeted to mitigate their plastic pollution impact, including:

• Reusable Bottles and Refill Stations: The convenience of single-use plastic bottles has made them ubiquitous in hospitality. Hotels can provide guests with reusable water bottles and install water refill stations throughout the property. For instance, some hotels have already adopted in-room glass bottles paired with filtered water stations on each floor, offering a convenient and environmentally friendly option for guests.

  For toiletries and amenities in hotel bathrooms and gym facilities, miniature bottles of shampoo and soaps are a significant source of waste, resulting in 150 million tonnes of single-use plastic each year in the global hotel industry. Transitioning to refillable dispensers for shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion can drastically cut down on plastic waste. Many hotels are now adopting wall-mounted dispensers that are easy to refill and maintain, providing the same level of convenience and hygiene as individual bottles.

• Food and Beverage Packaging: Takeaway services and room service orders often come with plastic containers, cutlery, and wrapping. Other sectors in the hospitality industry are also generating vast amounts of single-use plastic waste from food and beverage operations, such as theme parks and outdoor events. Replacing single-use plastic cutlery with the truly sustainable alternatives made of Solinatra can have a significant impact.

• Amenities: Amenity kits and products provided by hotels, gym facilities and airlines can be another source of significant single-use plastic waste. Products such as toothbrushes, hair combs and shoe horns may only be used once or twice before being discarded. Many hotels now make these items available upon request from reception, rather than stocked in hotel rooms as standard to reduce unnecessary waste. Producing these products from 100% natural, plastic alternatives such as Solinatra, ensures the product is also compostable and biodegradable after use - allowing hotels to offer 100% natural amenities to phase out plastic waste. 

Case Study: Reducing Plastic Pollution in Tourism with Solinatra

Customers' increasingly high demand for sustainability in hospitality is not only pushing hotels and resorts to innovate and adopt greener practices, but driving innovation at tourist attractions too. In response, destinations like Pampus Impacteiland are pioneering sustainable practices, merging heritage preservation with sustainability.

Pampus Impacteiland, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first fossil-free heritage site in the Netherlands. To enhance the visitor experience while promoting sustainability, Pampus Impacteiland collaborated with Solinatra to create the 'Pampus Key', a biodegradable key that unlocks games and activities on the island, encouraging children and visitors of all ages to engage with the historic site. The key is made of Solinatra, a 100% natural material and can be taken home as a souvenir, or can be disposed of in the island’s anaerobic digestor, which converts organic waste into compost and biogas, a renewable energy source to help power the island.

The hospitality industry has the power to influence and inspire change. The truly sustainable alternative to single use plastics made of Solinatra can meet the demands of modern travellers while making a way to a more circular economy. This shift not only benefits the planet but also aligns with the growing consumer preferences for sustainable practices, corporate net zero strategies and global regulations, ensuring a brighter, greener future for the hospitality industry.

Implement sustainable innovations made of Solinatra in your operations and become a part of the global movement!