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...

CHICAGO—The Magnuson Group, experts in high-design accessories and support furniture for commercial facilities, has introduced its newest product, KASTA, a sleek and streamlined waste and recycling receptacle collection, available in four sizes and multiple finishes. KASTA, the Swedish word for “throw,” was designed in collaboration with Gensler, serving as product design consultant, and is Made in the USA. The freestanding modular receptacles are highly flexible and can be used independently or ganged to create just the right disposal streams for each end user’s specific needs and environment. The sophisticated architectural shape, featuring distinct chamfered corners, is aesthetically pleasing and allows...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Climate change, freshwater depletion, unsustainable use of resources, and biodiversity collapse are some of the most pressing challenges faced by humanity today. As the world’s population increases, so does the pressure on the world’s natural resources and on local communities. While hospitality might on the surface be less damaging than other industries where pollution is more visible (manufacturing, transport, agriculture, etc.), the hospitality service sector and its supply chain are directly affecting and being affected by sustainability matters. Energy and water consumption, working conditions, employment, waste, and carbon emission are among the issues which need to be urgently...

When your bedding and towels have reached the end of their life, what do you do with them? Send them to the landfill? Donate them? If they were made with polyester or nylon, they would have shed plastic microfibers into the environment throughout their lifetime and will continue to do so in a landfill. Certainly, the life of all bedding and towels cannot be extended. I have written about Pürlin’s Zero Laundry—Zero Waste Linens before. These linens are recycled after each use. No guest uses the same linen. At HD Expo in May I learned about CiCLO™, a textile additive...

HONG KONG—With an urgency to curb climate change and help the planet, green packaging solutions company, ChoosePlanetA, has launched a new alternative to single-use paper cups—THE GOOD CUP. The unique and patented paper cup comes with an integrated top flap that easily folds and locks into place which does away with the traditional use of plastic lids. Made from a bio-based, 100 percent certified home compostable paper, it is also free from PE (Polyethylene) coating. One of the key advantages is that it is produced using the same machines as those used for traditional paper cups, and because no plastic lids...

MIAMI—Grupo Piñero announces the opening of Cayo Levantado Resort, an exclusive complex located in one of the most enigmatic destinations in the Dominican Republic. The opening of Cayo Levantado Resort marks Grupo Piñero’s venture into the luxury segment of the hotel industry, redefined through a commitment to sustainable innovation and sophistication. Situated just five kilometers from the Samaná Peninsula, Cayo Levantado Resort officially opened its doors in the presence of Isabel García Lorca, President and Founder of Grupo Piñero, and Encarna Piñero, Executive Vice President, and CEO. This unique resort, nestled on a captivating island, features 218 rooms spread across 10...

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND—Real estate investor and developer Lamington Group is adding to its pioneering eco hometel brand with the opening of room2 Belfast, the fourth outpost, and first property outside England, set to open later this summer. With the opening just months away, the team are giving a first look at the hometel, which is set to become a hub for the community in the heart of the bustling city, moments away from Belfast’s most popular attractions. The new property will consist of 175 rooms across nine floors as well as a vibrant café, beautifully designed tearoom, meeting and event spaces, a gym,...

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.—The founders of The KOPU Water Co.—Justin and Mindy Mahy—are taking a different path, a circular one if you will, to the business of providing a high-quality water to the luxury/upscale end of the hotel market. Their water, available as spring water or sparkling water, is sourced from an artesian spring thousands of feet below the dormant volcanoes of Oregon’s Cascade Range. The water is naturally alkaline at 8.0 pH and is filled with minerals including calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It also includes silica, known for its hair, nail and skin enhancing properties. Available in resealable, recyclable aluminum...