As Mercure Kuala Lumpur Shaw Parade (MKLSP) marked its 7th anniversary on February 24, 2024, it also proudly announced its certification for eliminating single-use plastic items from guest-facing areas under the Accor Brand Sustainability program.
In an era where environmental sustainability is at the forefront of global concerns, MKLSP took a significant stand against plastic waste. The hotel has decided to eradicate single-use plastics not only from its guestrooms but also from meeting areas and restaurants within the premises.
According to sustainability and plastics expert Marissa Jablonski, a typical 200-room four-star hotel can use around 300,000 pieces of single-use plastic in a month at full capacity, provided no eco-friendly alternatives are in place. These staggering figures emphasise the challenge the hospitality industry faces and the immense opportunity for positive change.
“At MKLSP, we perceive both a responsibility and an enthusiastic aspiration to maintain our hotel as an eco-friendly haven, not only for our guests but also in fostering a healthy workplace ecosystem for our team,” stated MKLSP General Manager, Ms. Yeoh Lay Kean, Cindy.
With the growing eco-consciousness among hotel guests, MKLSP recognises the shift in preferences towards supporting environmentally responsible establishments.
Ms. Yeoh highlighted the challenges faced in eliminating plastic bottles, a significant contributor to plastic use in hotels. However, MKLSP has successfully removed all plastic bottles from its 213 rooms, replacing them with hot-cold water dispensers.
The hotel has also taken strides to reduce the use of plastic straws and stirrers, cut back on single-use miniature toiletry bottles, and explore alternatives to plastic wrap for food and beverage operations.
“Eliminating plastic bottles was a considerable challenge, but we’ve managed to make our 213 rooms plastic bottle-free by introducing hot-cold water dispensers,” shared Ms. Yeoh.
As part of their anniversary celebration, MKLSP invited everyone to join in the festivities.
