If LD 1928 is passed, Maine will join at least four other states—New York, California, Illinois and Washington—that have phased out or are in the process of phasing out single-use plastic amenity bottles. A big tip of the hat to Rep. Lori Gramlich for sponsoring this legislation. I posted an article this past week about the initiative. Support of the bill has been by no means across the board. The Maine House of Representatives voted just 72 to 70 and the Maine Senate voted 17 to 15 to advance the bill. There will be additional votes in each chamber before LD...

NATIONAL REPORT—The Morning Sentinel is reporting that a bill advancing in the Maine Legislature—LD 1928—would prohibit most hotels, short-term rentals and other guest accommodations from using single-use plastic amenity bottles (with less than a 6‑ounce capacity) for shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. Locations with 12 or fewer units would be exempt. The bill does not restrict the use of plastic refillable containers for personal health or beauty products. It also does not restrict the use of single-use personal health or beauty product containers, bottles, wrappers or packaging that are not made with plastic. Lodging establishments would have years to...

BATAVIA, ILL.—Designed with both style and functionality in mind, the new Acclaim Double Side-Load Receptacle by Barco Products is made in America and is the perfect solution for any high-traffic indoor or outdoor food service or recycling areas requiring a high-quality, attractive waste and recycling solution for branded environments. Users can personalize their Acclaim receptacle with: Eight color options—select frame color, left panel color, and right panel color. Add full-color, custom logo decals. These are factory-applied and recessed to protect the edges of the decals. Multiple opening shapes to suit waste stream types: Rectangle, Saturn, Small Circle, Large Circle, Diamond, Slot,...

SOLON, OHIO—On its path toward circularity, global flooring manufacturer Tarkett has found a new, circular solution for its renowned Powerbond hybrid carpet. Leveraging the power of mushrooms, now any Powerbond returned to Tarkett’s ReStart take-back and recycling program will be transformed into biobased raw materials for use in future Tarkett Sports products being introduced in the coming months. “Recognized for its unmatched durability and performance, Powerbond has been a cornerstone of Tarkett’s innovation portfolio for decades. Reclaiming it after years—sometimes decades—of use and converting it into a biobased raw material isn’t just progress, it’s a breakthrough,” said Roxane Spears, Vice President of Sustainability. “This...

This past week’s Green Supplier Spotlight featured something new from Pineapple Hospitality: paper-based single-use packaging for amenities. The product is one example of an attempt to provide an alternative to single-use plastic amenity bottles. Velas Resorts also made news this past week with its Water Bottle Painting Workshop—an invitation to guests to customize their own reusable water bottles using premium paints, fine brushes, and a protective lacquer spray. Also this past week, The Good Plastic Company, a leading sustainable materials manufacturer, announced new and notable developments across its signature Polygood line. Composed of 100 percent recycled and recyclable plastic, including post-consumer and...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—Hilton announced the results of its Green Ramadan 2025 initiative, revealing a 26 percent reduction in post-consumer plate waste during the holy month. The month-long effort helped avoid more than 2.6 tons of food waste, the equivalent of more than 6,000 meals—reinforcing Hilton’s commitment to reducing food waste across its hotels through consistent, measurable impact. Building on the momentum of previous years, the program marked the initiative’s biggest rollout yet, scaled across 45 hotels in 14 countries in EMEA and APAC, and served more than 340,000 guests during iftar and suhoor—traditional meals during Ramadan. Participating hotels in Saudi Arabia, the United...

CHICAGO—NeoCon 2025 marks a momentous step for The Good Plastic Company’s trajectory in the North American market. Exhibiting for the first time at THE MART (booth #7-3053), the leading sustainable materials manufacturer will debut new and notable developments across its signature Polygood line—highlighting the Growth collection, newly earned Declare Label certification, and a collaboration with ergonomic innovator Humanscale at Fulton Market. Rooted in circular design, technical performance, and visual impact, the company’s NeoCon presence underscores the expanding role of sustainable materials in the future of commercial interiors and contract furniture. “NeoCon represents a pivotal moment for us—it shows how much we’ve grown in North America and highlights the...

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO—Velas Resorts, the renowned resort collection with properties across Mexico, introduces a new experience across its locations that merges environmental awareness, artistic expression, and elevated hospitality. Part of the resorts’ ongoing commitment to sustainability and responsible tourism, the Water Bottle Painting Workshop invites participants to customize their own reusable water bottles using premium paints, fine brushes, and a protective lacquer spray to ensure long-term durability and usability. Set in serene beachfront settings or private garden venues, the activity is ideal for team building, bridal parties, extended families, couples, and more, fully tailored for different occasions. Refillable at...

ATLANTA—Eco-minded Walmart shoppers can now find innovative sustainable beverage supplies on shelves across the country with marine biodegradable, home and industrial compostable phade hot drink paper cups, as well as new phade Flex straws, created by WinCup, Inc. The phade brand’s unparalleled sustainable characteristics are due to PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a groundbreaking new biopolymer derived from the fermentation of canola oil that safely biodegrades in a matter of months. The phade hot beverage cup is the world’s first-ever paper cup lined with PHA rather than a plastic film, allowing it to quickly return to earth, whereas the plastic lining in traditional...

NEW YORK—The International Interior Design Association’s New York Chapter (IIDA NY) has launched FurnitureMatch, a groundbreaking platform designed to connect surplus furniture with nonprofits and community organizations throughout New York City. This forward-thinking initiative aims to reduce landfill waste by giving high-quality furnishings a second life in the neighborhoods that need them most. FurnitureMatch acts as a centralized hub that connects designers, furniture liquidators, nonprofit leaders, and community stakeholders, streamlining the redistribution of furniture and fostering a more circular economy within the built environment. By closing the gap between surplus and need, the platform helps ensure that valuable resources are...