Waste Reduction & Green Purchasing at Hotels
Presented by Mary Ann Remolador of the Northeast Recycling Council
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
First Two Steps to Waste Reduction
Reducing & Reusing for decreasing a hotel’s overall waste.
Material reduction and reuse efforts focus on actions that staff can take to reduce their department or individual waste generation while at work.
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Next Step - Recycling Determine how much of trash is recyclable.
Waste Assessment
Visual Assessment Waste Sort
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Target Specific Materials Paper
Bottles and Cans
Food Waste
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Contract with Recycling Hauler Search Phone book and the Internet
Know hauler terms http://www.nerc.org/documents/hauler_terms_and_waste_conversion_factors.pdf
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Determine Number of Recycling Bins Needed
One for each sleeping room At each staff desk, At the front desk, At each staff and public use printer and copier, In staff lounges, In the lobby and breakfast area, Outside the exit doors (front and back of building), In the pool and exercise rooms, In the business center, Near each vending machine, and A separate container or bag on the cleaning staff’s
carts
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Collect Food Waste for Composting Identify a Food Waste Hauler
Develop collection plan with staff’s help
Use reusable 5 gallon buckets to collect
food from kitchens and plate waste.
Review process weekly and troubleshoot where needed.
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Document Waste Management Programs
Talk about progress made with staff, management, and customers
Measure environmental benefits of efforts with EPA’s WARM Tool http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/calculators/Warm_home.html
Post information in marketing materials NERC is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.
Resources Continued Guide to Greening Hotels through Waste
Management & Green Purchasing www.nerc.org/documents/green_hotels_guide.pdf Environmental Impacts of Recycling Fact
Sheet www.nerc.org/documents/environmental_impacts_of_recycling_fact_sheet.pdf
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.
GREEN PURCHASING Green Alternatives Available for Commonly Used
Items in Hotels Printing and Writing Paper Envelopes Toilet paper, Tissues, and Paper Towels Office Supplies Office Electronics (computers, printers, copiers) Remanufactured Toner Cartridges Cleaning Products Janitorial Supplies Lamps Appliances NERC is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.
Identify EPP Priorities & Write Policy Statement Sample EPP Policy Statement Preference shall be given to suppliers whose products have environmentally friendly attributes that: maximize post-consumer recycled content, minimize toxicity, minimize packaging, or have any other environmentally preferable attributes, with minimal sacrifice to price, quality, and delivery requirements. Source: Green Hotels in the Green Mountain
State Program www.vtgreenhotels.org
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Review Current Purchasing Practices & Products Review Items Currently Purchased
Discuss available green alternatives with
supplier
Search on Internet
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.
Available Web-based Resources on Finding Products Northeast Recycling Council Web Page on EPP Purchasing
http://www.nerc.org/topic_areas/environmentally_preferable_green_purchasing.html
Responsible Purchasing Network http://www.responsiblepurchasing.org/
Vermont Green Hotels Program Web Page on EPP Purchasing http://www.vtgreenhotels.org/resources.html
Energy Star http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=business.bus_hospitality_entertainment
Green Seal http://www.greenseal.org/FindGreenSealProductsandServices.aspx
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Document & Evaluate Green Purchases List of product purchases
Purchase costs,
Money saved over lifetime of product
Useful information when making future
purchasing decisions and will help to promote continued EPP practices. NERC is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.
Measuring Environmental Impacts of Green Purchases
Calculator Source and Name
Intended Purpose Web Address
EPA’s Recon Tool Measures environmental benefits of recycled content purchases
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/calculators/ReCon_home.html
Environmental Defense Fund’s Paper Calculator
Measures environmental benefits of using different papers with recycled content
http://www.edf.org/papercalculator/
Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (developed by the Tennessee Center for Clean Products with funding from the US EPA)
Measures environmental and economic benefits of purchasing EPEAT-registered products
http://isse.utk.edu/ccp/projects/benefitscalculator/elecbenecalc.html
EnviroCalc (developed by the Massachusetts Operational Services Division)
Measures environmental benefits and cost savings of recycled-content and energy efficient products
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=afterminal&L=6&L0=Home&L1=Budget%2C+Taxes+%26+Procurement&L2=Procurement+Information+%26+Resources&L3=Procurement+Programs+and+Services&L4=Environmentally+Preferable+Products+%28EPP%29+Procurement+Program&L5=Download+Publications%2C+Reports+and+Tools&sid=Eoaf&b=terminalcontent&f=osd_epp_es_dlpub_envirocalc&csid=Eoaf
Energy Star Calculator Measures energy and cost savings of energy efficient appliances
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bulk_purchasing.bus_purchasing
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Communicate with Other Green Purchasers EPPnet - http://www.nerc.org/eppnet/index.html a listserv administered by NERC that provides a means for communicating with purchasers throughout the country about EPP products and services. Membership to the listserv is free of charge.
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Other Resources for Hotels
• Green Lodging News http://www.greenlodgingnews.com/
• Hotel Recycling Calculator http://www.ecorewards.com/infostore/ECalculator.asp
• Green Hotel Guide: 8 Step Recycling Program http://www.ecogreenhotel.com/ecogreen-newsletter/EGH_May_2010/8_step_recycling_program.html
• Incorporate Elements of Sustainability and Recycling into Hotel Vendor Contracts http://eventplanning.about.com/od/conferenceservices/qt/hotel-contracts.htm
• Waste Reduction & Recycling Tips For Hotels http://www.wastecare.com/Articles/Waste_Reduction_Recycling_Tips_Hotels.htm
• Recycling Program 2 – Hotels should take our health and safety into consideration
http://www.hotelssafety.com/ENVIRONMENT/RECYCLING-PROGRAM-2.html
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Working with Vermont Hotels Increase and initiate comprehensive
recycling programs
Initiate food waste collection for composting program
Increase green purchasing
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Project Results – Comfort Inn & Suites, St. Johnsbury, VT Implemented a Comprehensive Recycling Program
Collected 18 tons of recyclables from its waste stream (15% of total discards) over the course of the project.
Expanded the green hotel operations to its second hotel in St. Johnsbury--Fairbanks Inn.
Has increased the use of green products, including: Waterless urinals in the public restrooms that reduced its
annual waste water by 100,000 gallons, 50% post-consumer recycled content copy paper, 50% -
65% post-consumer recycled content personal care paper products, a line of green cleaners, and compostable tableware (made of potatoes) in its breakfast room.
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.
Project Results of Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center Burlington, Vermont The Hotel increased the amount of recyclables
collected from 7% to 12% of its discards (48 tons over the course of the project).
Initiated a food waste collection program for composting and collected 99 tons of food waste.
Donated 1 ton of food and linens to the Vermont Foodbank
Increased the use of green products, including: 30% post-consumer recycled content copy paper, PLA cornstarch “to go” containers, and a line of green cleaners.
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Contact Information Mary Ann Remolador, Assistant Director Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. Brattleboro, Vermont 802-254-3636, fax 802-254-5870 [email protected] www.nerc.org
NERC is an equal opportunity provider and
employer.