How Banning Tiny Plastic Shampoo Bottles And Other Amenities Can Affect Hotels
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Tough luck, perpetual hoarders of tiny hotel shampoo bottles, lip gloss, hand sanitizer or other bathroom amenities — those little luxuries will soon be as dated as the ashtrays that graced hotel smoking rooms of the past.
As plastic becomes anathema in the hospitality world and beyond, both hoteliers and legislators are shining the spotlight on waste in hotels, following the cases of plastic bags in grocery stores and plastic straws in restaurants. This summer, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an upcoming government ban on single-use plastics as early as 2021, and new standards and targets for manufacturers of plastic products or those companies that sell items with plastic packaging — legislation that could greatly impact the quick service and fast casual segments of the foodservice industry.
In October, a new bill was passed in California (which will come into effect in 2023) that will fine hotels with over 50 rooms if small plastic bottles under 12 ounces are found. Granted, the amounts are somewhat trivial thus far ($500 for each day on the first violation, $2,000 on the second violation), but for a smaller hotel with less than 50 rooms (whose staff must comply with the bill by 2024), these fines could prove to be catastrophic to their bottom line. A bill currently in the New York State Senate also seeks a similar ban.