SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.—Carlisle Companies Inc. published its 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report, highlighting progress toward its sustainability goals through its three-pillar sustainability strategy and culture of continuous improvement fostered through the Carlisle Operating System. “Carlisle’s steadfast commitment to our sustainability goals is consistent with our core values of continuous improvement and operational excellence,” said Chris Koch, Chair, President and CEO. “The publication of our 2023 Sustainability Report highlights our continued progress on our sustainability mission—to produce products that make buildings more efficient, reduce emissions from our value stream, and manage end of life materials to reduce landfill waste.” The Carlisle 2023 Corporate Sustainability...

WINCHESTER, VA.—Amid increasing concern related to plastic bag and film recycling, Trex Company is making it easier than ever for Americans to responsibly dispose of plastic film waste. The leading manufacturer of high-performance composite decking and railing is proud to announce the launch of the NexTrex Plastic Recycling Drop-Off Directory, the country’s only online searchable platform dedicated to connecting eco-minded Americans with Trex recycling partners in their local communities. With locations in all 50 states, the nationwide directory fills a gap in the marketplace, offering a comprehensive resource that empowers individuals to contribute to a greener planet by diverting plastic bag and...

RALEIGH, N.C.—glass2, along with its distribution partner CaraGreen, has released its latest colorway, Antarctica, which contains recycled pieces of black and white glass, fused together in a slab for countertops and other surfaces. Antarctica joins Ash White, Aquamarine, Azurite, Chorus, Coral Blue, and Ocean Blue in the glass2 lineup of recycled glass color options. With the emergence of restrictions and bans on engineered stone, new materials will need to take the place of crystalline silica as it continues to be phased out of product lines. With glass being one of the most widely recycled materials, along with the increasing maturity...

HELSINGBORG, SWEDEN—Gaia Biomaterials has developed a compostable drinking straw material. The new material is a grade of the company’s limestone based Biodolomer material. Biodolomer does not leave any microplastics and is certified compostable by BPI in the USA as well as European certification bodies. The new grade has been developed with hot drinks, such as Irish Coffee and hot chocolate, in mind. It can handle temperatures over 80ºC without any substantial loss in rigidity and stability. Several tests have been conducted with drinking straw manufacturers in Europe and the USA. The material works well in machines, and the properties are according...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES—Hilton announced the results of its Green Ramadan 2024 initiative, which aimed to further reduce food waste across hotel operations during the holy month. Through the effort, Hilton saw a more than 20 percent reduction in post-consumer food waste. Following the success of Green Ramadan 2023 where food waste was reduced by over 60 percent, the program was scaled across 32 hotels in seven countries and served 239,000 guests during iftars and suhoors. Participating hotels in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Türkiye and Malaysia undertook extensive sustainability training, and aimed to close the loop across the...

NATIONAL REPORT—Artificial intelligence (AI), according to IBM, is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities. When used improperly, AI can wreak havoc. One need not look far in our industry, however, to find examples of how AI is being used in a positive way—in the hotel kitchen to reduce food waste. Two companies utilizing AI in their automated solutions to help hoteliers reduce food waste are Winnow Solutions and Leanpath. Solutions such as those offered by Winnow Solutions and Leanpath are needed because of the volume of food waste generated by commercial kitchens. Between 5...

MCDONOUGH, GA.—A new survey by ALPLA, a global leader in packaging solutions, uncovers critical barriers to the adoption of reusable products, pointing to a significant disconnect between consumer intent and action. Despite a widespread desire to incorporate reusable items into their daily routines, many are held back by cost and quality concerns. This builds on ALPLA’s previous research highlighting a strong generational shift in favor of sustainable packaging, showing that while the intent to adopt sustainable practices remains high, practical barriers such as affordability and perceived quality must be addressed. ALPLA’s latest findings shed light on an exciting opportunity for the industry to...

Over the years I have written about various alternatives to plastic bottled water. Some are as simple as water filtration/dispensing systems. These systems have become quite common in our industry. Other systems are rarer and more complex. For example, last year Accor announced that it is partnering with SOURCE Global, PBC to bring reusable glass bottled drinking water—water from the air—to key hotels in Singapore. Unique to this water is that it is made by SOURCE Hydropanels—a ground-breaking solar-powered technology that harvests the pure, endlessly renewable water vapor in the air and transforms it into premium drinking water. In April I reported on...

MIDLAND, N.C.—Hoteliers in search of alternatives to plastic bottled water have a new option to consider: an on-site micro-bottling system. Available from Boomerang Water and about the size of an ice machine, the system can fill up to 400 reusable bottles an hour. The Boomerang Bottling System is already in use at properties including the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (Hawaii) and The Boca Raton (Florida). At the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, 910,000 plastic bottles were diverted from landfills and waterways in one year. At The Boca Raton, 419,750 plastic bottles were diverted in a year. The Statler Hotel at...

HARTFORD, CONN.—In a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong led 16 states in sounding the alarm over pervasive plastic microfiber pollution, urging EPA and NOAA to use the full extent of their authority to protect public health and the safety of our oceans. Synthetic clothing sheds tiny plastic strands—called “microfibers”—when it is washed. It is estimated that approximately 640,000 to 1,500,000 plastic microfiber pieces are shed per wash cycle. It is estimated that the United States and Canada pollute an estimated 878 tons of microfibers into the...