INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Print Plast announces the launch of its new wooden hotel key cards. The hospitality industry has traditionally relied on plastic hotel key cards, contributing to the global plastic waste problem. The new wooden hotel key cards are a game-changer, offering a sustainable alternative without compromising on functionality or design. The wooden hotel key cards are made from sustainably sourced wood, a renewable and biodegradable material. This shift from plastic to wood is expected to significantly reduce the industry’s plastic waste. For every million traditional key cards replaced with wooden hotel key cards, Print Plast can prevent approximately five tons of plastic...

EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—Excel Dryer has upgraded to electrostatic HEPA filtration, which is an optional feature for their XLERATOR hand dryer models and is now available in its newly expanded, surface-mounted, ADA-compliant ThinAir Hand Dryer product line. ThinAir is a high-efficiency model that includes all the standard enhanced features—including adjustable sound, speed, and heat controls—while also protruding less than four inches from the wall to adhere to ADA regulations. ThinAir dries hands in 14 seconds, operates on 950 watts, and helps facilities qualify for several LEED Credits and WELL Points. The upgraded HEPA filtration system uses electrostatically charged media, which allows for increased airflow and attracts...

CHANNEL ISLANDS HARBORS, CALIF.—Most plastic bottles today are made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic. Estimates are that about 500 billion PET plastic bottles, mostly made to contain beverages, are manufactured annually. That’s about one million bottles per minute. “If they were stacked like building blocks, that’s enough plastic bottles to reach four-fifths of the way to the sun,” says Steve Ashkin, the professional cleaning industry’s leading advocate for sustainability. “This is creating an environmental nightmare. To prevent this, we first must understand what happens to all that plastic.” According to Ashkin, this is the typical afterlife scenario of PET plastic bottles: Wishful-Recycling Most commercial...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton unveiled the results of its Green Ramadan campaign. A global first for Hilton in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, the collaboration combined Hilton’s Travel with Purpose strategy and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) West Asia’s “Recipe of Change” Sustainable Ramadan campaign with Winnow’s artificial intelligence technology, allowing for digitally led tracking of waste from production to plate. To measure, manage, and mitigate food waste across key markets in the Middle East, the Green Ramadan initiative was implemented in three of Hilton’s hotels: Waldorf Astoria Lusail Doha, Conrad Dubai, and Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences. The first...

GÖTEBERG, SWEDEN—Swedish innovative packaging company, PulPac, and their groundbreaking Dry Molded Fiber technology are attracting interest worldwide. The company announced it has signed a license agreement with Matrix Pack, a leading global provider of Fiber Food Packaging Products and Solutions, with seven manufacturing plants in North America and Europe. Matrix Pack was founded in 2009 and has since grown into a well-renowned producer of disposable products and one of the largest sustainable drinking straw manufacturers worldwide. Much of its growth can be ascribed to its innovative mindset and focus on sustainable manufacturing and raw materials, further reinforced through PulPac’s Dry...

SOLON, OHIO—Tarkett, a worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring solutions, has announced an expanded portfolio for its Color Pop luxury vinyl tile and plank series. With the addition of six new colors—Breeze, Lilac, Sandpiper, Sorbet, Sunbeam, and Very Berry—Color Pop is now available in 30 hues and three tile sizes, allowing tremendous design flexibility. “Color Pop celebrates color’s unique ability to impact the mood of any space, whether it be inspiring creativity in the workplace, encouraging discovery in the classroom, or creating calm for patients and healthcare staff,” said Omoleye Simmons, Vice President, Design. “With the ability to mix...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Marking a victory for the oceans, Amazon announced in its 2022 sustainability report that its overall use of single-use plastic across its global operations network (i.e., orders shipped through its fulfillment centers) declined by 11.6 percent from 2021 to 2022. The company reported that it used a total of 85,916 metric tons (189 million pounds) of single-use plastic to ship its packages in 2022, down from 97,222 metric tons (214 million pounds) of single-use plastic packaging in 2021. This number excludes shipments for products bought through Amazon’s websites that are not fulfilled by the company. Additionally, the company noted that it...

TAIWAN—Hotels in Taiwan will be restricted from supplying single-use toiletries unless they are specifically requested, with effect from 2025, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said Monday. Under the new guidelines, which the EPA announced on its website, liquid toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion will have to be provided in bottles with a volume of at least 180 milliliters. Meanwhile, disposable items such as combs, razors, toothbrushes, toothpaste and shower caps will no longer be offered in guests’ rooms, though hotels will still be allowed to provide them on request, the EPA said. Once the new rules take effect,...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. has published its 2023 Serve 360 Report highlighting data as of year-end 2022, and shared the company’s continued progress on its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts. Marriott’s sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, guides the company’s efforts towards its 2025 Sustainability and Social Impact Goals. The full report can be accessed on the company’s Serve 360 website. “Since its founding in 1927, Marriott has placed a priority on serving its communities and creating a positive impact wherever we do business,” said Anthony Capuano, President and CEO, Marriott International. “With our size...

NATIONAL REPORT—CiCLO™, a sustainable textile technology from Intrinsic Advanced Materials, LLC, could help the lodging industry reduce its plastic waste footprint substantially. CiCLO is a nature-based solution to reducing plastic microfiber pollution. “Adding CiCLO technology to polyester and nylon is scientifically proven to accelerate nature’s bioremediation process,” according to Intrinsic Advanced Materials. “CiCLO technology can be added to polyester and nylon, which are the main components of various fabrics used within the hospitality industry,” explains Andrea Ferris, CEO of Intrinsic Advanced Materials and Co-Inventor of CiCLO technology. “Polyester and nylon are highly durable plastics used in everything from bedding to towels...