France: Located in the ninth district of Paris, The Best Western Premier Opéra Liège has become the first zero single-use plastic hotel in the country.
Working in partnership with Racing For The Oceans, a zero plastic advisory and strategy company, the hotel has replaced all plastic packaging with sustainable alternatives.
Wooden keycards will now be used to access the hotel’s 50 rooms and suites, and eco-friendly amenities such as laundry bags, slippers and bin bags will be made from bamboo.
In the bathroom, a three-in-one soap bar will be provided in replacement of shampoo, conditioner and body wash, and toothpaste in a lozenge form will be used alongside bamboo toothbrushes.
Water fountains are to be installed for guests to refill the glass bottles that are provided in room, and the hotel’s food and beverage areas will no longer serve products in plastic packaging.
In total, the hotel will eliminate over 24,000 plastic bottles, 55,000 cosmetic packaging and 16,000 plastic bags a year.
Marine Pescot, co-founder of Racing For The Oceans, said to Business Traveller: “We are definitely looking to work with other hotels and to develop a bigger portfolio of zero-waste suppliers… Our objective is to work with bigger groups and advise them on what suppliers they can work with.”
In January, France banned single-use plates, cups and cotton buds from being sold in bulk as part of its goal to phase out all single-use plastics by 2040.
The country is said to ban other objects including plastic straws, disposable cutlery, plastic tea bags and the provision of free plastic bottles over the next couple of years.
