(EURO NEWS) – A law banning all single-use plastic toiletries in New York hotels has passed after a two-year Senate battle. Hotels in New York will legally have to ditch all single use plastic toiletries by 2024, giving them time to use up existing stock
The legislation puts strict rules on the use of plastic-bottled toiletries under 12 ounces. For scale, the average hotel usually offers bottles that measure between 1 and 2 ounces.
Democrat Senator Todd Kaminsky introduced the bill two years ago, after receiving corporate backing from the Hotel Association of New York City and the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association (NYSHTA).
“This legislation will help ensure that the industry has a smooth transition to bulk use or non-plastic products by giving hotels time to exhaust their current stock of products, and make decisions that are environmentally friendly, cost effective, and aesthetically pleasing for guests,” says Mark Dorr, President of NYSHTA, who helped draft the bill.
In 2019, California lawmakers announced plans for similar measures, with a ban placed on large hotels in 2023 and smaller lodgings in 2024.
Hotels found to be violating these rules will be subjected to fines of $500 (€410) and $2,000 (€1,640) for every recurring breach. It is expected that similar deterrents will take shape in New York state.
An investigation from The Independent argues that the pandemic has sent the hospitality industry’s journey to eliminating single use plastics backwards. A return to single use products in the name of hygiene can and will have dire consequences for the environment if we don’t legislate worldwide. This doesn’t just pertain to toiletries – it includes cutlery, condiments, and more.
Over 270 billion kilos of plastic are produced every year, half of which is used to design single-use items such as shopping bags, cups and straws. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that at least 7 billion kilos end up in our oceans, disrupting ecosystems and polluting natural environments.
