Single-use plastic products (SUPs) are used once, usually for a very short period of time, before being thrown away. The impacts of this plastic waste on the environment and our health are global and can be extremely damaging. Reusable products are designed to stay in circulation and not cause so much damage.
But plastic is not just a problem for the environment! Often, eliminating single-use plastics makes a business case! An average of three-quarters of people globally agree that single-use plastic should be banned as soon as possible. This trend is widely seen in the tourism sector.
According to Agoda’s 2021 Sustainable Travel Survey, limited use of single-use plastics is one of the key measures needed to make travel more sustainable. Apart from the negative guest reviews, single-use items generate ongoing costs, which often remain unnoticed by hotel management.