Does our hotel group need to comply with the packaging regulations?
If a hotel or group handles more than 50 tonnes of packaging and has a turnover of £2million per year it will be obligated under the packaging regulations. Hotels are regarded as selling the packaging on items provided for guests such as shampoo sachets and milk jiggers. The packaging handled by hotels also includes bottles and cans sold in bars, restaurants and minibars. Chains which include franchises should also take account of the tonnage handled by the franchise (unless the franchisee is obligated on their own account). More information
Our hotel group has taken the initiative to improve it's environmental performance and has appointed an environmental champion in each hotel. A team has been set up and is looking for ideas for improvements. What general areas should the team be looking at?
Energy, water and waste are key environmental aspects for any hotel. Start by collecting baseline data for these. Then identify key areas where you could make improvements and put together the business case to achieve senior management buy-in. Hospitable Climates runs an energy-efficiency programme for hotels. Benchmark your water use to see how much you could save, See our top tips and find out how much waste costs your hotel.
What regulations apply to waste cooking oil? What happens to the oil collected by my supplier?
Waste cooking oil should not be disposed of to drain, and cannot be fed to animals under the Animal By-Products Regulations. Catering establishments that consign their waste oil for animal feed are committing an offence. Collectors of oil are expected to send it for biodiesel or incineration with energy recovery. The Duty of Care applies to waste cooking oil, and you should check the waste carriers licence of the collector and keep records such as transfer notes.
Is disposal of food waste via a macerator unit to sewer acceptable?
Disposal of food waste to sewer can cause blocked drains and increased load on sewage treatment plants. Disposal of anything to sewer other than domestic sewage and rain water will require a Trade Effluent Consent or Agreement from the sewage undertaker.
What regulations apply to waste disposal from hotels?
The Duty of Care for Waste applies to all waste transfers including waste for recycling. Hazardous waste is also covered by the Hazardous Waste Regulations and the Lists of Wastes Regulations. The Animal By-Products Regulations control the disposal of food waste. See regulations for more.
What can a busy family-run hotel and restaurant do to save money? Water use is very high.
Benchmark your water use to see how much you could save. Very high water use can indicate a costly leak or overflow.
Our hotel already has adopted a number of good practices for energy, recycling and water efficiency. How can we identify other areas where we can improve?
Benchmark your performance to see how you compare to other hotels. Measuring, monitoring and targeting are the key to improving. See our top tips for ideas.