Futouris Plastic Guidance for Tourism Businesses

The guidance was developed as part of the project “Plastic-free holidays in the Balearic Islands”, in which the Futouris members cooperate with the government of the Balearic Islands and local NGOs such as “Travel Without Plastic” and “Save The Med” to actively tackle plastic pollution. Together with local hoteliers and other partners from the tourism industry, concepts and measures for the reduction of plastic waste and the improvement of the recycling rate have been developed.

The guidance supports tourism businesses in finding more sustainable alternatives to commonly used single-use plastic products. For example, different alternatives are suggested for plastic bottles, miniature toiletries, plastic-wrapped bathroom items, slippers, straws, plastic tableware and take-away boxes. The recommended alternatives are rated according to their sustainability performance based on an index developed by “Save The Med”. The index takes, among others, the impact of the material used on the environment, recyclability and existing disposal options into consideration.

For example, plastic water bottles and their lids contribute significantly to plastic pollution on beaches and in the oceans. In hotel operations for example, these can be replaced by water stations in public areas or corridors or by using reusable glass bottles from local suppliers. Both alternatives already reduce the negative impact on the environment significantly and can also contribute to cost savings.