CHICAGO — Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that its hotels around the globe will eliminate single-use plastic straws and drink picks by Sept. 1, 2018. Straws and picks will only be available upon request and environmentally friendly alternatives will be provided where available.
The announcement builds on the company’s existing eco-friendly initiatives, including efforts to minimize and divert food waste, source responsibly and reduce water and energy consumption. Since launching its 2020 Environmental Sustainability Vision in 2014, Hyatt has made substantial headway toward its goals, incorporating sustainability guidelines into purchasing criteria and engaging suppliers around sustainable practices.
“Eliminating plastic straws and drink picks builds on the environmental sustainability programs we have in place and further drives our global efforts to reduce environmental impact,” says Frank Lavey, senior VP, Global Operations for Hyatt. “This is a meaningful step and our commitment doesn’t stop with straws and drink picks. We will continue exploring viable alternatives everywhere we can.”
This year also marks the 10th anniversary of Hyatt’s collaboration with Clean the World — a non-profit organization that collects used soaps and shampoo products from hotels and recycles and donates them to communities in need. Since the partnership began, Hyatt hotels have donated 475,000 pounds of bar soaps and toiletries.
