Have you ever wondered if there was an alternative to those tiny plastic hotel toiletry bottles? There is! Hotels can use large, reusable and refillable containers for products like shampoo, conditioner, and lotion. Making such a switch saves hotels money, that’s why Marriott International is already planning to stop using mini bottles, estimating that they will avoid throwing away 500 million such bottles every year.
But most hotels and motels have yet to adopt refillable toiletry containers. New York bills A5082 and S543 will do just that, taking effect January 1, 2024 for all hotels with more than 50 rooms, and one year later for all smaller hotels. This gives hotels plenty of time to adapt.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bills into law on December 22, 2021. These bills were originally passed by the NY State legislature in April of 2021. Our three New York Chapters shared an action alert over email and social media channels, generating hundreds of messages to our elected officials. We partnered with NRDC to pass these bills.
Besides wasting shampoo and other products, these bottles are made of plastic, which is made of oil. Thus, plastic production contributes to the negative impacts from climate change, and the negative impacts to underserved communities, which bear the brunt of oil production facilities. We are all familiar with the plastic pollution crisis happening on our planet, polluting our bodies and our ecosystems. Thanks for your help in reducing unnecessary plastic waste and litter in New York!