A ban on hotels and guesthouses providing mini-toiletries is a simple and proactive step towards reducing plastic waste, a Fine Gael TD has said.
Dublin North West TD Noel Rock is calling for a nationwide ban on hotels, guesthouses and holiday rentals providing guests with toiletries in single-use plastic bottles.
“Some progressive hotel chains have already started moving away from these wasteful products towards refillable models, but I believe this should be put on a legislative footing here in Ireland.
“I believe a ban on such products being stocked in hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs will save thousands of pounds of plastic waste being generated annually.
“Much like the plastic bag levy this is an opportunity for Ireland to be a European leader in this area. With a booming tourism industry the savings in waste terms to be garnered here are immense,” he added.
“The use of plastic bags in Ireland reduced by 90% after the levy was introduced, this is the type of radical change that Ireland needs to consistently pursue.
“Hotels have options when it comes to alternatives: they can use refillable dispensers or there are several innovative Irish companies producing zero waste products that could be swapped out for a sustainable approach that would also support local business.
“I accept that his change would need to be phased in so as not to cost businesses unnecessarily but I also strongly suspect that Irish customers will welcome this change with open arms.
“Hotels no longer provide ashtrays in hotel rooms due to a massive cultural shift in recent years – I believe single use plastics in rooms will be viewed as something just as redundant in the coming years and it is up to us as legislators to ensure this happens as quickly as possible.”