Spicers Retreats has issued a challenge to the wider hospitality industry to step up its efforts on minimising rubbish and recycling levels as one of its properties closes in on becoming the first hotel in Queensland to operate at zero waste.
Brisbane’s Spicers Balfour, located in the CBD, says it has reduced its waste output going to landfill from two 600-litre commercial dumpsters each week to one domestic-size wheelie bin per fortnight – a 95% drop with all other discards now being recycled.
The challenge comes following last week’s National Recycling Week initiative, with Spicers Retreats Founder and Owner, Jude Turner, saying she would love to see greater environmental progress across the hospitality industry.
“Imagine what Australia would be like if all hotels recycled 95 per cent of their waste?” she said.
Turner pointed to the efforts of Spicers Balfour, its General Manager Simon Magnus and Head Chef Nick Stapleton, who were set the challenge of cutting the hotel’s waste level to zero or as close as possible to it, with financial savings now being enjoyed across the business.
The push has seen the hotel kitchen do away with plastic preparation containers, recycling of latex chef’s gloves and the introduction of large refillable amenities bottles in guest bathrooms – an initiative being widely endorsed and adopted across many major global brands.
“The team at Spicers is looking forward to working with other hotels and restaurants, industry in general and all levels of government, to find a way to reuse or recycle that last five per cent, for which no sustainable alternative or recycling service currently exists in Australia,” Turner added.