CINCINNATI—Cintas Corp. announced that its direct sale and rental distribution centers (DCs) located in its Chicago facility have been awarded Gold level under the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification system for zero waste. Administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), TRUE helps facilities define, pursue and achieve zero waste goals while becoming more resource efficient. Cintas’ Chicago DCs were certified Gold as a result of diverting more than 90 percent of its waste stream from landfill and incineration, having a zero waste policy in place and meeting the TRUE certification requirements over the past 12 months. The facility...

BERKELEY, CALIF.—Waste Management Inc. has issued a “Report on Recycling” as the result of a dialogue earlier this year on boosting U.S. plastic recycling rates. China’s 2018 ban on plastic waste imports exposed the fragility of parts of the U.S. recycling collection and processing system. Media reports suggest significant gaps in U.S. recycling markets due to historical reliance on China for processing plastic, underdeveloped domestic markets, and low prices offered for recovered plastics. Following the filing of a shareholder proposal and in-depth engagement earlier this year, the company agreed to provide a report that would identify gaps in recycling infrastructure,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Plastic pollution of land, water and air is a global problem. Even when plastic bags or water bottles break down to the point at which they are no longer an eyesore, tiny fragments can still contaminate the environment. Animals and humans can ingest the particles, with uncertain health consequences. Now, scientists report that they are among the first to examine micro- and nanoplastics in human organs and tissues. The researchers presented their results recently at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting & Expo. It featured more than 6,000 presentations on a wide range of science...

I often hear from organizations writing with the intention of sharing valuable information about a topic of relevance to all of us. This past week I heard from PCLiquidations.com. They shared their Complete Guide to Electronic Waste Recycling with me. Click here to check it out. According to PCLiquidations.com, Electronics is becoming one of the fastest-growing solid waste streams in the world. As devices become more accessible and affordable, more and more of these items go into landfills. According to DoSomething.org, the United States is the biggest contributor of e-waste annually. Americans throw away 9.4 million tons of used electronics...

I recently had the opportunity to interview Jeffery Smith, Vice President Sustainability for Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. Click here in case you missed it. Six Senses made news this past week when it announced that it has become one of the first signatories of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the UN Environment Programme and UN World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. As a signatory of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, Six Senses furthers its commitment to eliminating and becoming plastic free in 2022. I have built the case for going plastic free many times...

MIAMI—While most consumers assume that paper products eventually disintegrate or are recycled, the truth is that a majority of paper products, including coffee cups, take-out containers, pizza boxes and more, are coated with polyethylene, which prevents leaks and liquid absorption, but renders them unfit for recycling. While polyethylene products eventually do decompose, greenhouse gases are released in the process, and harmful chemicals are released when this coating is exposed to hot food or beverages. J&J Green Paper, an innovative paper products technology firm based out of Miami, spent the past eight years developing an inventive and cutting-edge solution to the critical...

BANGKOK—Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas announced that it has become one of the first signatories of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the UN Environment Programme and UN World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Environmental and social responsibility is at the heart of Six Senses. In a shared world of limited natural resources and fragile ecosystems, sustainability is not a choice, it is the only choice. It demands doing what is right rather than what is easy. At Six Senses, this means going beyond banning single-use plastic and unnecessary waste and to be free of...

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY—Deutsche Hospitality’s young Danish economy brand Zleep Hotels is to launch in Switzerland. Construction work on the new build Zleep Hotel Zurich Kloten is scheduled for completion in 2023. The hotel will be located in a new quarter near to Zurich Airport, which will also be home to a restaurant, retail outlets and privately owned apartments. There will be 90 rooms, a generously proportioned lobby complete with a breakfast area and a bar. The Zleep Hotel Zurich Kloten will also introduce the “Hygge Standard” to the Swiss hotel sector for the first time. Transport links will...

MIDLAND, MICH.—If stacked, mattresses discarded in Europe every year would exceed the height of Mount Everest—by 678 times. Approximately 30 million mattresses are thrown away, and most of this bulky, non-biodegradable waste-stream ends up in the landfill. Through its RENUVA Mattress Recycling Program, Dow aims to reduce this mountain of waste by giving polyurethane (PU) foam from end-of-life mattresses a new life. The program will take discarded mattress foam and turn it back into raw material (polyols) through chemical recycling, the process of converting waste into feedstock. The new raw material will then be used in flexible or rigid foam products...

MADRID—A new set of recommendations published outline how the global tourism sector can continue in its fight against plastic pollution while effectively facing the public health and hygiene challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing pandemic has hit the tourism sector hard, putting more than 100 million jobs at risk. Now, as countries begin to recover and tourism restarts in a growing number of destinations, the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, has provided a plan of action for both public...