Ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted the nation on Independence Day to give up the use of single-use plastic, there has been a flurry of activities across the board. From corporate entities pledging to ensure their offices are 'single-use plastic free' to entire localities and trading communities taking up the challenge to get rid of this environmental hazard, the war cry has sure been sounded. But what about the biggest culprits, the hospitality industry?
India's hotels have jumped on to the bandwagon with gusto, with many swearing they have been at it even before the topic became fodder for nationalist fervour. Taj Hotels, for example, claims its hotel in Havelock island in the Andamans—Taj Exotica Resort & Spa—opened last year, is the first zero one-time use plastic hotel. On Earth Hour last year, the group had pledged to phase out single-use plastic from all its properties, much before Modi made it fashionable.
Most of the hotel groups THE WEEK spoke to claim to have adopted measures to phase out or completely cut out single-use plastic, though not many have done anything substantial beyond replacing plastic straws with paper or bamboo ones, as well as replacing plastic drinking bottles with water in glass bottles that have to be dispensed out.
Similar measures have included replacing plastic cutlery, bags and boxes with organic or compostable replacements, which include the use of beeswax wraps, biodegradable shower caps instead of plastic ones, replacing plastic hangers with metal or wooden ones and replacing room amenities like miniature shampoo bottles that come in plastic bottles with either dispensers or with glass bottles.
Very few, like Howard Johnson, a leading global hotel chain that runs properties, including Wyndham Bengaluru Hebbal, have gone for more capital-intensive measures like establishing in-house bottling plants in their properties, though it is increasingly in their mindspace. “We are in talks (for) placing water bottling plant in the property, which would help us replace the plastic water bottles in the rooms with glass bottles,” says Sunaina Sharma Manerker, general manager of Grand Mercure Mysore. Evolve Back and Orange County, popular South Indian resorts, have found another nifty solution. Managing director Jose Ramapuram says they have gone in for a reverse osmosis (RO) machine in each suite to reduce usage of bottled drinking water.
“We are constantly seeking for achievable steps in order to live up to our social responsibility goals,” points out Rahul Puri, general manager of The Westin's properties in Gurugram in the national capital region, while Salil Fadnis , manager of Sahara Star in Mumbai says “We (have) minimised the utilisation of plastic in our restaurants and in the day-to-day functioning of the hotel.”
However, for many hotels, it is still lip service. One significant area of concern has been the introduction of hand-sized drinking water bottle by leading water companies in recent years. These bottles have become quite popular for hotel banqueting and wedding/event receptions. Banquet services of many luxury hotels in Delhi THE WEEK visited were found to be still serving these small bottles that dramatically add to the plastic wastage.
Of course, every single, little thing counts in the battle against plastic. Taj group hotels, including its flight catering wing TajSATS, say they have eliminated 20 lakh plastic straws this year alone. Oberoi hotels, another leading Indian luxury chain, did not respond to THE WEEK despite repeated attempts.
Increasingly, India's hospitality industry has realised that it needs to go beyond just replacing straws and water bottles in the long-term battle for the environment. Sarovar Hotels has gone in for solar panels for heating water in its hotels, as well as installing motion-sensing lights in all public areas, F&B outlets and banquets, according to its managing director Ajay Bakaya. The Postcard, a brand new entrant in India's hotel industry, has gone for something even more ingenious. “Buffets lead to waste, and we do not do buffets in our hotels,” Akanksha Lamba, senior vice-president (operations) at The Postcard says. “Our aim to go local and fresh not only (delights) the evolved traveller, but is also economical and allows us to invest in....being sustainable.”
“The next step will be to work on how purchases (are done) as everything comes wrapped in plastic,” points out Shoba Mohan, founder of RARE India, a chain of boutique hotels including Malabar House in Kochi. But she admits, “That would be a much deeper and tougher audit.”
