Plastic is everywhere – our homes, businesses, communities, and even our homes away from home. The hospitality industry is a significant contributor to plastic waste, often relying on single-use plastics for everyday items like hotel keycards, in-room beverages and laundry bags.
But plastic does not biodegrade and remains in the environment long after use – a problem that sees millions of tonnes of discarded waste piling up around the world. At Chelsea Village Hotel, we acknowledge that change is needed in the hospitality industry. We are ready to start being part of that change with a new project to reduce single-use plastics in our operations.
The plastic problem
The United Nations Environment Program estimates that the equivalent of 2,000 truckloads of plastic waste is dumped into seas, rivers, and lakes every day. As the nation with the longest coastline on continental Africa, Somalia faces disproportionate challenges due to plastic pollution, which poses significant risks to our vital marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of our coastal communities.
In an effort to curb plastic pollution, Somalia implemented a nationwide ban on single-use plastic bags in October 2024. While the ban is undeniably a positive step towards reducing the environmental impact of plastic pollution, enforcing the law will be a complex task, especially in a country facing ongoing conflict and with widespread informal trading.
As a proponent for sustainable change, Chelsea Village Hotel wholeheartedly supports the move away from single-use plastics.
Hospitality and sustainability
The hospitality industry is a significant contributor to plastic waste, largely due to its reliance on single-use plastics for convenience and hygiene. Items such as plastic water bottles, disposable cutlery, straws, toiletries, and packaging are commonly used, and with millions of guests served daily, the cumulative impact of this waste is substantial.
Single-use plastics, like shampoo bottles, water bottles and plastic wrap for laundry make the hospitality industry one of the largest contributors of plastic waste.
But, the industry faces a conundrum: how can providers ensure they’re meeting guest expectations and needs, while implementing sustainable measures? Plastics offer the convenience and hygiene that guests have come to expect, and shifting away from plastics may lead to a rise in cost or a need to change guest behaviour.
Fortunately, surveys show that many travellers are themselves increasingly concerned with sustainability. It is up to the industry to drive change by adopting sustainable practices, such as replacing single-use items with renewable options, that will meet guest expectations and reduce environmental impact.
Revolutionary plastic replacements
Chelsea Village Hotel has partnered with Culture Organics to field test an innovative alternative to plastic in our operations.
Culture Organics produces Sugarcane PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol), which is derived from sugarcane crop waste and mimics the qualities of plastic. Sugarcane PVA is:
- completely harmless, non-toxic and safe for animal consumption
- sturdier than traditional plastic, and
- completely dissolves in water within minutes, leaving no traces of micro-plastics.
The material is FDA-approved and carries the USDA Bio-Preferred label, meaning it’s certified as being made from renewable resources that align with global sustainability goals. Culture Organics’ Sugarcane PVA does not interfere with recycling or composting, and is already being used in leading hotels around the world.
Chelsea Village Hotel’s new eco-items will include takeaway containers, food-grade gloves, housekeeping gloves, and hotel keys. We’re proud to contribute to Sustainable Development Goals and support Somalia’s bold stance against plastic waste.
If not replace, reuse
Some everyday necessities can’t be replaced by Sugarcane PVA, but when replacement is not an option, reusing can be the solution. At Chelsea Village Hotel, guests can purchase reusable tote bags and reusable food containers to replace single-use plastics. These branded reusable options serve as souvenirs and are made to last for guests’ travels and beyond.
Choosing reusable food containers could potentially prevent over 500 polystyrene boxes from ending up in a landfill each month, while reusable bags save around 1000 plastic bags per month from the same fate.
Guests can purchase reusable containers to keep.
By embracing the change enshrined by Somalia’s new law, Chelsea Village Hotel and other hospitality providers in the country have the opportunity to contribute to a cleaner planet and refine that delicate balance between guest satisfaction and environmental responsibility.
