Many people look forward to the mini shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bottles that hotels provide as part of their luxurious amenities. However, these single-use toiletries are contributing to the global plastic waste problem significantly.
Thankfully, new bans in the U.S. are going to force hotels to turn greener. For example, New York State has recently voted to ban these disposable plastic toiletry bottles starting on January 1, 2024, for large hotels and 2025 for smaller ones.
New York Ban
The law, introduced in 2019 by Assemblyman Steve Englebright and State Senator Todd Kaminsky, prohibits disposable plastic toiletry bottles smaller than 354 milliliters (12 ounces). The new ban will force hotels to transition to larger refillable dispensers.
Kaminsky said in a statement:
Small actions, such as eliminating disposable toiletry bottles in hotels, can make a big difference in protecting our environment. By barring hotels from giving single-use plastic toiletries to customers, we are safeguarding our planet, reducing plastic waste, and preventing waterway pollution.
This is a significant step toward saving our Plant. The Ocean Conservatory estimates that 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans annually, with plastic bottles making up a considerable part of it. The organization compares this amount to dumping one plastic-filled New York City garbage truck into the Atlantic Ocean every 60 seconds for one year.
Eric A. Goldstein, New York City environment director and senior attorney at Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement:
Reducing single-use plastics is vital in the fight against the climate crisis — plastic is a major source of carbon emissions and a financial anchor to the fossil fuel industry. This new law tackles the ever-growing problem associated with plastic waste. It will prevent tens of millions of plastic bottles from becoming a waste burden in New York every year.
Many hotel groups seeking to green their operations support the New York ban.
California Ban
New York is the second state in the U.S. to pass this type of ban. In 2019, California passed a law banning disposable mini toiletry bottles. The ban goes into effect by 2023 for hotels with over 50 rooms and 2024 for smaller ones.
According to CNN, if a Californian hotel doesn’t obey the ban, its owners and operators will be charged. The bill states that a written warning will be given on the first violation along with a $500 fine for each day the lodging establishment is in violation. Second or succeeding violations would result in a $2,000 fine.
Hotel Chains Follow Suit
Amid the plastic pollution crisis growing worldwide, several major hotel chains and industry groups have already taken matters into their own hands by recycling soap and eliminating plastic toiletries.
In 2019, the world’s largest hotel chain Marriott announced that it was replacing single-use, travel-sized plastic bottles with larger bottles to reduce plastic waste by 30%. However, according to Marriott, these tiny bottles currently used typically aren’t recycled.
Marriott highlighted that one pump-topped bottle contains as much liquid as twelve single-use bottles. In addition, these new bottles will be made from recyclable materials. The change is expected to save up to 500 million small bottles per year from going into the environment!
This December, the move will affect around 500,000 guest rooms from most of Marriott’s 7,000 hotels worldwide. Did you know – Marriott owns more than a few popular hotel brands, including Ritz-Carlton, W Hotels, Sheraton, and Courtyard.
In 2020, other large chains followed suit by replacing individual mini bottles with wall dispensers and refillable glass containers as part of their sustainability plan. Among them are:
- Accor Hotels
- Walt Disney Company
- The InterContinental Hotels Group (which owns Holiday Inn)
- The Hyatt chains
Hilton Hotels is also turning greener by recycling used soap. The process involves crushing used soap, sanitizing the remains, and finally turning it into new bars. Watch Hilton’s soap-making process in the video below.
These eco-friendly, voluntary efforts are a significant step in lessening the massive amounts of plastic waste in our landfills and waterways. However, this is still not enough; more action is needed. Other hotels, cities, states, and countries worldwide should follow suit.
