Radisson Hotel Group builds on sustainability commitment with closed loop approach to amenities recycling

Radisson Hotel Group continues to drive its responsible business agenda with an innovative closed loop recycling approach to hotel bulk liquid amenities in key markets including India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This wide-scale initiative is part of the Group’s broader commitment to reducing single-use plastic waste, supporting a circular and local economy, and providing sustainable stays to guests.

The initiative ensures that used bulk amenity bottles are collected, the remaining liquids extracted and recycled, as well as that the packaging is recycled and repurposed. This circular economy approach contributes not only to a more sustainable supply chain but also significantly reduces plastic pollution. In India for example, the closed loop system was established through a network of eleven recycling partners across the country that take amenities waste from hotels. Materials are then sorted, cleaned, recycled and turned into raw materials. The process is fully documented and recorded in an audit and regular reporting, ensuring traceability of the closed loop approach.

Additionally, as part of the Group’s commitment to Hotel Sustainability Basics, Radisson Hotel Group is replacing single use bathroom amenities with bulk amenity dispensers, with already 91% of hotels using soap dispensers in public washrooms. The Group aims to achieve the roll-out of reusable soap dispensers throughout its portfolio by the end of 2025. The initiative is expected to eliminate 57 million miniature amenity bottles annually and reduce the related plastic use by nearly 500 tons.

Next to that, Radisson Hotel Group has already eliminated single-use plastic from all dry bathroom amenities, replacing them with environmentally responsible alternatives. Dry amenities are packaged with innovative materials designed to reduce plastic use. Stone paper – crafted from calcium carbonate bonded with high-density polyethylene resin – has replaced cellulose-based paper and is combined with soybean oil ink used for printing. FSC Cardboard, sourced from recycling and responsibly managed forests, is used for packaging, while the dry amenities themselves use PSM materials made with starch from plants including corn and potatoes combined with plastic fillers like polypropylene. This step aligns with the Group’s ongoing efforts to minimize its environmental footprint while maintaining premium ‘Yes I Can’ service.

“We are committed to leading sustainability in the industry and reducing single use plastic waste across our operations,” said Inge Huijbrechts, Chief Sustainability and Security Officer, at Radisson Hotel Group. “We make it easy for guests to experience sustainable stays, expressed by the verification on Hotel Sustainability Basics or a recognized eco-label certification. After food & beverage, amenities are the biggest portion of a typical hotel’s scope 3 emissions. With the closed loop recycling and the dry amenities free of single-use plastic, we work at substantially reducing these scope 3 emissions, en route to our Net Zero 2050 target. ” 

The launch of the responsible bathroom amenities is part of Radisson Hotel Group’s broader sustainability strategy and responds to guest aspirations: a recent survey reported that 75% of global travelers want more sustainable travel choices and 43% believe travel service providers hold the key to mitigating the environmental impact of travel. More widely, the Group is turning objectives into policies, offering Sustainable Stays through Hotel Sustainability Basics and eco-labels; and encouraging guests to travel more responsibly.

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