WATERFORD, N.Y.—Cascades Tissue Group today announced that the company’s Cascades Moka 100 percent recycled unbleached bathroom tissue has been honored with a first place finish in Green Manufacturer magazine’s 2013 Green Manufacturer’s Innovation Awards. The panel of judges praised Cascades for the product’s “outstanding features” and commitment to sustainability, as well as its low environmental impact compared to similar, traditional products. “We’re proud of this innovative product and pleased to receive recognition from such an esteemed publication,” said Suzanne Blanchet, Cascades Tissue Group CEO, who conceived and championed Cascades Moka bath tissue’s development. “The last several years have...

DURHAM, N.C.—The biggest barrier restaurants in Durham, N.C., face in achieving “zero waste” is a lack of affordable composting and recycling options, a new study conducted at Duke University has found.Zero waste encourages the reuse of all materials. For businesses, it is often defined as diverting 90 percent of a location’s waste stream away from landfills and into other uses. For example, a restaurant can take much of its packaging, food scraps, and cardboard—items that often go into the trash—and recycle or compost those materials.The study, commissioned by the National Restaurant Association’s Conserve Sustainability Education Program and conducted by...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—The Refinishing Touch, a leader in on-site environmentally safe and sustainable furniture refinishing and re-upholstering for private and public organizations, has completed a large-scale renovation project at the Candlewood Suites in Killeen, Texas. The Refinishing Touch re-upholstered 68 lounge seats, 63 desk chairs and seven side chairs using eco-friendly Embrace recycled leather, the latest addition to the company’s Touch Textiles commercial fabric division. After receiving customer feedback around outdated, stained and worn upholstery across its existing furniture assets, Candlewood Suites sought an alternative to purchasing new furniture that would enhance its ongoing sustainable initiatives and save on...

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Food waste from restaurants accounts for a large proportion of a hotel’s waste in total. Leftovers from buffets, kitchen scraps, bread and what guests leave on the side of their plates all add up to hundreds of kilos every day. Much of this food waste is thrown away unnecessarily and Scandic is now taking the next step in its work on sustainability by actively working on waste management at all its hotels. A recently completed pilot shows that, with know-how and planning, the hotels can reduce breakfast waste by more than 30 percent.By training staff, controlling purchasing and...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—America’s hotels and spas could save $176 million annually by switching from packaged amenities to attractive, efficient dispensers. And that’s just the impact on the bottom line. According to Ray Burger, CEO of Pineapple Hospitality, the effect on the environment in terms of cutting waste, pollution and carbon footprint is even more profound. Pineapple Hospitality has teamed with Pharmacopia to provide an attractive and more sustainable alternative to conventional hotel bathroom amenities. Hoteliers can now purchase branded dispensers and use well-known bath products that will reduce costs and waste while increasing guest satisfaction.Amenity dispensers are available in...

SAN DIEGO—Cali Bamboo, a leading manufacturer of green building materials for residential and commercial projects made primarily from bamboo, announced its first GreenClaimed flooring line created from cork, another highly renewable and recycled material.GreenClaimed Cork Flooring is a click-and-lock product manufactured from reclaimed cork used in the wine industry, and is one of the first cork flooring lines available in a 5.5 inch by 48 inch plank format.“The new plank format gives our new cork floors the look and feel of a hardwood but can be installed where hardwoods shouldn’t such as bathrooms and high moisture prone areas,” said...

DESTIN, FLA.—After a fire ravaged the outdoor space at the Hilton SanDestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa, the resort looked to MoistureShield composite decking to create an expansive new 17,000 square foot multi-purpose deck. The new deck leaves the Gulf Coast views unobstructed for hotel guests to enjoy, while preserving beachfront habitat. The fire started on the hotel’s beachfront area in October 2010. It ignited an adjacent deck, destroying most of the hotel’s deck structure and outdoor restaurant. In response to the fire, Hilton SanDestin’s management and construction team sought to build a new and improved outdoor experience. One...

NEW YORK—Local lawmakers in New York City have introduced legislation that would effectively ban the use of polystyrene packaging at restaurants and other foodservice outlets in the area.The legislation, introduced June 12 into the City Council by members Lewis A. Fidler, Vincent J. Gentile and Letitia James in conjunction with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, would prevent operators from using the plastic foam packaging at full-service and quick-service restaurants, cafes, delicatessens, coffee shops, grocery stores, vending trucks or carts and cafeterias.Mayor Bloomberg initially proposed the ban during his State of the City address in February.If passed, the regulation, which would be...

NATIONAL REPORT—This year could be a landmark year for mattress recycling. Time will tell if other states will follow their leads but three states—California, Connecticut and Rhode Island—are getting closer to creating the infrastructure for statewide mattress recycling. Late last month, California’s State Senate approved SB 254 which creates a used mattress recycling program. Assembly hearings on that legislation, according to Ryan Trainer, president, International Sleep Products Assn. (ISPA), are expected to begin early next month. Earlier this year, with Public Act 13-42, Connecticut became the first state to pass comprehensive mattress recycling legislation. In Rhode Island, Trainer says,...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Clean the World, the largest global recycler of hotel amenities, has expanded to Asia. The organization’s new soap recycling facility in Hong Kong provides an essential service to a region quickly running out of landfill space. It is projected to divert 110 tons of soap from landfills in the first year.This is the first operations center outside North America for Clean the World, a social enterprise committed to saving lives around the world by collecting and recycling soap and shampoo products discarded by the hospitality industry. Nearly 2,000 hotels across North America currently participate in the program. Since...