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.

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Next Step - Recycling Determine how much of trash is recyclable.

Waste Assessment

Visual Assessment Waste Sort

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Target Specific Materials Paper

Bottles and Cans

Food Waste

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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Review Current Purchasing Practices & Products Review Items Currently Purchased

Discuss available green alternatives with

supplier

Search on Internet

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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

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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

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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

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Working with Vermont Hotels Increase and initiate comprehensive

recycling programs

Initiate food waste collection for composting program

Increase green purchasing

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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.

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Contact Information Mary Ann Remolador, Assistant Director Northeast Recycling Council, Inc. Brattleboro, Vermont 802-254-3636, fax 802-254-5870 maryann@nerc.org www.nerc.org

NERC is an equal opportunity provider and

employer.