Executive Summary
The hotel industry is an important sector in any economy. An increase in the number of tourists often leads to growth in revenue. However, this increase often adds the amount of solid waste, a factor which is likely to affect the hotel industry negatively due to environmental pollution. Ineffective waste management practices have forced hotels to incur substantial expenses. Traditional practices of waste management have led to the dumping of waste materials on roadsides, landfills and in oceans leading to environmental pollution, health hazards, and acidification of soil. Hotels need to come up with effective waste management practices which include reduction, prevention, recycling, disposal and recovery. The hotel industry needs to cooperate with other stakeholders in the hotel industry, which will enhance the management of waste. This can be achieved through environmental awareness programs, partnerships, health programs and effective communication. Effective waste management practices are essential for a sustainable hotel industry since the hotel industry will be able to cut costs on waste management and increase revenue.
Introduction
The hotel industry is experiencing a vast growth due to the rising numbers of domestic tourists and international arrivals. With the increasing input costs and the negative impacts of waste, there are chances that the revenue, performance and the public image of the hotel industry will be severed . Hotels are often forced to incur the heavy cost of waste management or risk losing tourists to other tourist destinations. The hotel industry needs to adopt more cost-effective waste management practices which are aimed at reducing the quantity of waste from hotels and involve themselves more actively in waste management programs together with other stakeholders in the hotel industry.
Background
Despite the numerous benefits that are associated with the tourism sector, the sector brings with it numerous disadvantages which include the deterioration of cultural and natural resources, while simultaneously adding to the existing amounts of solid waste . Amidst the various attempts by countries to spear forward the economic growth, sanitation has been neglected leading to pollution and sanitation problems, especially in the urban areas. The cost of collection, recovery and disposal is another concern for most of these countries .
Methodology
Qualitative research methods are used for the purpose of this study. Various materials written on the topic were used to come up with the findings of this study. The results from these studies was combined to draw the findings of this study. Data was collected to establish the fact that the existing waste management practices had failed. Reasons for these failures were then drawn and recommendations drawn from these findings. The studies used for the study are those which involved urban centers. The hotel sector is more dominant in urban centers and hence the studies provided a better representative of the hotel industry. The studies were then selected randomly from the various studies that had been conducted in urban centers.
Solid Waste and Management Practices
These factors have brought the need for urban cities to come up with integrated waste management practices. These sector needs to come up with holistic, goal oriented, interconnected and cost effective practices. Benefits of the approach include subsidized costs, cost controlling as well as cost recovery, reduced health risks and environmental effluence, improved coordination and performance, and an improved image which will improve revenue for the tourism sector. Stakeholders involved in this industry include the local government, the tourism industry, the community and NGOs . There are various functional components of the waste management process which include waste emission, collection, transfer, treatment, and disposal. A lot of waste materials is not disposed properly, but instead, it ends up in landfills in oceans and on roadsides. Traditional methods of waste management include burning which is hazardous to the environment . Leachate from waste is most likely to result in the contamination of soil and water reserves. People working in waste management plants are also adversely affected by the waste management procedure which includes mental health problems, asthma, respiratory problems, and headache, diarrhea and skin infections among many other diseases. Workers do not adhere to safety procedures which include gloves, face masks, ear plugs, and footwear.
Municipal solid waste statistics
A comparison of the waste material from the hotel industry between 1999 and 1999 shows that the amount of waste material from the industry has increased tremendously within the last one year. Recycling of dry waste went up to 82 percent up from 56 percent in the previous year. Wet waste went up by 18 percent. The overall amount of solid waste increased from 49 percent to reach 69 percent. Paper waste is also common in the hotel industry as most of them made attempts to avoid the use of plastic .
Management practices, waste recovery and recycling initiatives
The working conditions in these waste management plants is a major heath concern for employees, with most people refraining themselves from the low-status job. Most employees in the hotel industry have also failed to corporate with waste management personnel by mixing both liquid, solid and garden waste materials. The amount of waste materials is also often estimated and not measured accurately. Effective waste management procedures require that waste is sorted into five categories which include solid waste, liquid waste, glass, cardboard, and paper waste . Most waste paper bags at hotels are often interfered with by hotel staff searching for valuables left behind by tourists. The plastic bags are also not up to standard, and most of them are likely to break before they arrive at the waste management plant. Proper equipment by employees is another concern that the management of waste management plans should especially pay attention to. Further research, however, demonstrated that most employees failed to use this equipment not because they were unavailable, but because they often regarded the equipment as inconvenient and unnecessary. This can be improved with more education programs on the health requirements of the workers at the waste management plants. A bin exchange program with the hotel industry is one of the many measures which is likely to reduce the amount of time spent in the collection of waste products. The working condition of the employees at the waste management plants can be improved by increasing their compensation packages. The integration of the waste management process will also enable waste management companies revenues to make more revenue from the process, and hence they will be able to afford better practices for their procedures.
Recommendation
Hotels need to participate more effectively in the waste management procedure. This can be achieved through partnerships with waste management bodies in their urban cities. Various stakeholders ought to be more committed towards the waste management procedure . Hotels need to engage themselves in waste management programs since they stand to benefit directly from such programs. Waste management facilities should be expanded and distributed effectively to ensure that the number of facilities in an urban center corresponds directly with the number of hotels in the city. Hotels need to embrace the use of the Life Cycle Assessment/ LCA program which will enable hotels to coordinate purchasing, disposal, and consumption to ensure minimal waste, which will guarantee hoteliers the best experience. The production of clean waste can be enhanced by challenging hotels to come up with newer and more innovative ways to recycle waste . Programs that recognize hotels which manage to reduce their waste for minimal waste will also influence the production of clean waste .
Improved technology is one of the many ways through which the cost of waste management could be improved. Technology should only be employed if it is cost effective. For instance, pressing for residual waste which reduces the volume of the waste material is a cost effective technology since it cuts the number of trips that waste management companies have to make. Vehicles are also vital for the waste management procedure since they increase efficiency. Process oriented behavior which will come up with more effective waste management practices should be adopted. Separation of waste at the source is vital for effective waste management. This can be achieved by enhancing cooperation from hotel staff and waste management companies which can be achieved through training, supervision and better and improved communication. Health and safety programs should be introduced to ensure the health of workers. Issues that are likely to hinder the effectiveness of the waste management process like the controlling of the waste management process should be clearly stipulated during the signing of the waste management company and the hotel . Environmental awareness programs should be promoted by the government to enable stakeholders in the hotel industry, clearly grasp the benefits that are likely to arise from a better waste management program. Waste management for the industry is most effective if they can manage to reduce the amount of waste. This can be achieved through prevention, reduction, recycling, recovery and disposal. It is important to note that the five processes are listed from the most effective to the least effective .
Conclusion
In conclusion, the hotel industry stands to gain more if it can come up with effective practices through which they can reduce the amount of solid waste from their facilities, and offer better cooperation to other stakeholders as far as waste management is concerned. The hotel sector is one of the most vital sectors in most economies, and an increase in the number of tourists often leads to increased revenue. However, the high numbers of tourists also add to the amount of solid waste, as most hotels are forced to spend a lot of their income on waste management. Failure to manage waste properly is likely to cause environmental pollution and have a negative impact on the hotel industry. All stakeholders in the hotel industry have a vital role to ensure that waste is managed properly so that the hotel industry can become more sustainable in the future. The traditional waste management practices section describes how lack of cooperation by staff at the hotel has led hotels to incur large expenses in the waste management process. The recommendation section explains how hotels can reduce the amount of their revenue spent on waste management practices through prevention, reduction, recovery, recycling and reuse.
References
Arafat, H. A. & Pirani, S. I., 2014. Solid Waste Management in the Hospitality Industry; A Review. Journal of Environmental Management.
David M, S. & Harold, R., 1996. Facilities management. Michigan: Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Motel Association.
Davidson, G., 2011. Waste Management Practices: Literature Review. [Online] Available at: https://www.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/sustainability/Waste%20Management%20Literature%20Review%20Final%20June%202011%20(1.49%20MB).pdf[Accessed 21 June 2016].
Radwan, H. R., Jones, E. & Minoli, D., 2010. Managing solid waste in small hotels. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, pp. 175-190.
Reuben, D., n.d. Lose Your Waste and Grow Your Profits: Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling for Hotels. [Online] Available at: http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/p2/business_industry/hospitality/waste_management_guide.pdf[Accessed 21 June 2016].
Shaker, B. & Reiher, S., 2015. Green Solid Waste Management for Green and Sustainable Tourism. [Online] Available at: http://www.sweep-net.org/green-solid-waste-management[Accessed 21 June 2016].
Shamshiry, E. et al., 2011. Integrated Models for Solid Waste Management in Tourism Regions: Langkawi Island, Malaysia. Journal of Environmental and Public Health.
Sherman, R., n.d. Waste Reduction and Recycling for the Lodging Industry. [Online] Available at: https://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/pubs/ag473-17-lodging.html[Accessed 21 June 2016].
Tang, J., 2004. A CASE STUDY OF A HOTEL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN BALI, INDONESIA. [Online] Available at: http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/OWTU/TC-OWTU-373.pdf[Accessed 21 June 2016].
