Guide to reducing (single-use) plastic published

Guide to reducing (single-use) plastic in hotels and tourism businesses

Over 8 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans every year, and by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the seas. Alarming figures! In important tourist destinations such as the Balearic Islands, tourism accounts for a significant proportion of plastic waste. Especially in the summer season, plastic waste from tourism increases by more than 30 percent.

For this reason, Futouris, the sustainability initiative of the German tourism industry, has published a guide to reducing (single-use) plastic in hotels and tourism businesses. This guide, developed as part of the industry project "Plastic-free vacations on the Balearic Islands", contains alternatives to frequently used single-use plastic products. The various plastic products are presented according to their impact in terms of sustainability, so that businesses can easily choose the alternatives that are best for them to implement. This means that the impact on the environment can be accurately assessed and taken into account more easily.

Contents of the guide

The guide was developed as part of the "Plastic-free vacations in the Balearic Islands" project, in which Futouris members are working together with the Balearic Islands government and local NGOs such as "Travel Without Plastic" and "Save The Med" to actively combat plastic pollution. Together with local hoteliers and other partners from the tourism industry, concepts and measures have been developed to reduce plastic waste and improve recycling.

The guide supports tourism businesses in finding more sustainable alternatives to frequently used single-use plastic products. For example, various alternatives are suggested for plastic bottles, miniature toiletries, plastic-wrapped bathroom products, slippers, straws, plastic tableware and take-away boxes. The recommended alternatives are rated according to an index developed by "Save The Med" based on their sustainability. Important criteria here are the impact of the material used on the environment, recyclability and existing disposal options.

Plastic water bottles and their lids, for example, contribute significantly to plastic pollution on beaches and in the oceans. In hotel operations, these can be replaced by water stations in public areas or corridors, for example, or by using reusable glass bottles from local suppliers. Both alternatives already significantly reduce the negative impact on the environment and can also contribute to cost savings.

Prof. Dr. Harald Zeiss, CEO of Futouris, is convinced: "Most single-use plastic products are easy to replace. But many companies are not aware of the possibilities. This is where our guide comes in: We offer tourism businesses worldwide a clear selection of more sustainable alternatives. In this way, we save companies time and reduce plastic items along the entire tourism value chain."

In the next step, the pilot measures developed to reduce plastic consumption will be tested in practice by the hotels involved in the project and tested for their feasibility and the plastic savings that can be achieved.