Is it Even Possible for a Toronto Hotel to Achieve Zero Waste – Why We Say Yes!

Millions of Canadians and international travelers come through Toronto visiting for leisure or business every year. Across Toronto, there are more than 20,000 hotel rooms that exist. The environmental impact of these travelers is significant yet is largely unaccounted for when discussing waste management, recycling, and zero waste in Toronto.

There’s no disputing Toronto’s a major attraction for tourists and business leaders. Our hotels are responsible for accommodating their needs, ensuring they’re comfortable and well taken care of. The operation of these hotels, unsurprisingly, can be very wasteful. Though there are some hotels that are making moves to become more eco-friendly, is zero waste achievable? It may take work but we think it’s more than achievable in the years to come. Here’s a few ways zero waste Toronto hotels can happen.

Landfill waste reduction education

Educate staff on where recycling goes and what is or isn’t recycling. Hotels should make it easy for staff and guests to recycle. The easier it is, the more likely you can make it happen. Any recycling doesn’t count towards landfill waste output.

Conduct a waste and recycling audit

Look at the waste you’re creating. Can you replace some of these products with recyclables? Are there single-use disposables that could be replaced with reusable materials? The more you know about how much your hotel recycles and the waste it produces, the more informed strategies you can implement.

Drip-coffee machines instead of pods

Small drip-coffee machines using compostable coffee filters in every guest room avoids single plastic pod machines which are wasteful. Immediately, you cut down on a huge source of hospitality waste. Any tea bags you provide, ensure they are recyclable as well. Opt for washables, instead of disposable plastic or paper cups.

Food waste reduction policies

Another area of Toronto hotel waste management is minimizing food waste. Ensure staff are educated on how to stock food, based off the ‘best before’ date and food freshness. See inventory patterns. If there’s a buffer, get creative on how to limit large quantities on display. Recycle cooking oil, when possible. By limiting the food hotels toss out, we further cut down on waste.

Other points on hotels for zero waste

Zero waste is all about slowly eliminating the processes which generate our waste. Toronto hospitality waste programs and hotel corporations can also draw from these ideas to reduce waste.

 Provide shampoo dispensers in each guest suite bathroom, eliminating single-use plastic containers and single-use soap packaging.
 Provide washable drinking glasses to enjoy water from as opposed to plastic water bottles.
 Ensure recycling and food waste bins are provided close to suites in hallways or cafes, ensuring guests have access.
 Instead of issuing paper guest receipts, offer to send it to their email. Only provide paper on request.
 Eliminate single-use plastics and non-recyclables around food, in whatever way you can. Use washable ceramic dishes and metal cutlery. Cut down on takeout packaging when possible.

In a few years, we think Toronto hotel zero waste will become a lot more commonplace. Waste reduction takes time, effort, and education. It doesn’t happen overnight. Regardless, making move after move, any hotel corporation can get there if they have the desire to. For hotels, it’s eco-friendly recycling, the elimination of single-use items, and encouragement of sustainable stays that form the key tenants of zero waste. We look forward to seeing the future of our city’s beautiful hotels.