Sustainability
Hotel Trends

Zero-Waste Bathrooms: Tips for a Sustainable Hotel Routine

24 July 2024

The zero-waste movement is gathering pace around the world, and has now reached the hotel bathroom. With guests increasingly expecting hotels to take a proactive role in protecting the environment, the waste generated by mini cosmetics bottles and other throwaway products is in the spotlight. In parallel, bans on single-use plastics are already being implemented around the world, and are set to become commonplace in the years ahead.

Alternatives to single-use items, such as recyclable dispensers, are already popular with hotels seeking to reduce their environmental footprint and attract eco-conscious travelers. To embrace the zero-waste philosophy takes this transformation a step further – read on to find out more.

What is a Zero-Waste Bathroom?

A zero-waste bathroom is designed with waste prevention in mind throughout. It is stocked with products whose materials return to an endless loop, rather than being thrown away. Examples are refillable cosmetics dispensers, soap packaged in FSC-certified cardboard, washable make-up remover pads, and biodegradable, chemical-free cleaning products.

With at least 17.5 million guest rooms in the world, the introduction of zero-waste products and processes has the potential to have a phenomenal positive impact on the environment.

What Does the Concept of Zero Waste Mean?

In a zero-waste system, all materials are reused until the optimum level of consumption is reached. The overall goal is to prevent waste, rather than to manage it. Products and processes are designed to avoid waste, and to conserve and recover all resources rather than burn or bury them.

Zero waste is a “whole systems” approach that aims to transform the way materials flow through society, thus avoiding any harm to the environment or human health.

What are the Five Rules of Zero Waste?

According to the hierarchy of the 5 Rs, four actions should be taken, if possible, prior to recycling.

  • Refuse: refusing to buy wasteful or non-recyclable products is the most effective way to minimize waste.
  • Reduce: reducing your hotel’s dependency on harmful, wasteful, and non-recyclable products, and always using the minimum amount required, results in less waste materials ending up in landfill.
  • Reuse: reusing items rather than buying new ones – for example switching to refillable dispensers – reduces consumption of plastics in a culture where using items once and throwing them away has become normalized.
  • Repurpose: You may be surprised to learn how many common products serve more than one purpose. Upcycling may require some creativity, but the possibilities are endless.
  • Recycle: Once you have gone through all of the other Rs, recycling is the most environmentally friendly waste disposal method. An effective recycling program can significantly cut the amount of waste produced by your hotel.

How to Make Your Hotel Bathroom Plastic Free

To implement the zero-waste concept in your hotel bathroom, the first step is to eliminate all single-use products such as plastic disposable razors, cosmetics in individual mini bottles, make-up remover pads made from bleached, virgin cotton, plastic toothbrushes, and spa slippers wrapped in plastic – to name just a few. Plastic should be replaced with natural and renewable materials – or with recycled PET where this is not yet possible.

Zero-waste bathroom heroes:

  • Bamboo or recycled toilet paper
  • Refillable cosmetics bottles
  • Washable cotton make-up remover pads
  • Cleansing products in bar rather than liquid form
  • Paper-wrapped slippers made from natural materials
  • Razors and toothbrushes with bamboo handles
  • Natural cosmetic products that exclude plastic microbeads and other environmentally harmful ingredients

Zero Waste Bathroom Essentials from ADA Cosmetics

Have you heard of the Cradle to Cradle concept? A sustainable alternative to the unsustainable Cradle to Grave model (or linear economy), Cradle to Cradle promotes the circular economy – a regenerative cycle in manufacturing that seeks to eliminate waste. As such, it is closely aligned with the zero-waste movement.

The entire ADA Cosmetics product portfolio is Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver – a first in the hotel industry. When choosing these products for your hotel bathrooms, you can be assured that they are produced according to strict principles of circularity and environmental protection. Some highlights include:

  • A mono-material hygiene pump dispenser where the entire pump, including normally metal components such as the spring, is made from recycled PET.
  • The bestselling SmartCare dispenser, designed for circularity and 100% recyclable.
  • Plastic-free accessories collections made from natural and renewable materials.
  • A strict Product Ingredients Policy that bans the use of microplastics, silicones, mineral oils, nanomaterials, and other potentially harmful ingredients of concern.

What is the Zero Waste Concept?

Zero waste is a philosophy and design principle that goes beyond recycling to take a “whole systems” approach to the flow of materials through society.

  • Waste is proactively prevented, rather than managed once it is created
  • Used materials are viewed not as trash, but rather as valuable resources that represent community and economic opportunity
  • In a zero-waste system, four actions should be taken prior to recycling: refuse, reduce, reuse, and repurpose

Can Hotel Bathrooms Be Zero Waste?

Hotel bathrooms are often stocked with single-use products, and as such are the source of significant product and plastic waste. Therefore they are a great candidate for a zero-waste makeover. Simple changes such as the introduction of refillable dispensers and the elimination of plastic-wrapped, throwaway items can make an enormous difference to a hotel’s environmental footprint.

Where Can I Find Zero Waste Bathroom Products?

Zero waste bathroom products are rapidly gaining in popularity around the world, with most mainstream retailers now offering more sustainable alternatives to conventional products.

 

Regarding hotel bathrooms in particular, ADA Cosmetics is the only manufacturer of hotel amenities worldwide to have obtained Cradle to Cradle Silver Certification for its product portfolio. This means that the company’s products and packaging alike are designed according to strict circular principles, continually recirculating resources to ensure minimal environmental impact.

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