At GREEN Hospitality, our commitment to fostering sustainability in the hospitality industry dates back to the autumn of 2018, when Soap Cycling had the idea of creating a globally focused network to transform the hospitality industry into a catalyst for sustainability.
As Asia’s first and largest youth-led soap recycling charity, Soap Cycling works with its hotel partners to collect lightly-used soap bars for recycling and redistribution to communities in need. Witnessing the sheer amount of waste generated by the hospitality industry and knowing that sustainability good practices adopted by the industry could lead to large ripple effects, Soap Cycling decided that there needed to be a way to enable hospitality practitioners to make more informed, sustainability-focused decisions in their operations.
On 26 April 2019, with funding support from the Hong Kong Council for Sustainable Development’s Sustainable Development Fund, Soap Cycling organised the city’s first-ever GREEN Hospitality Conference, and that's how GREEN Hospitality came into being.
The Challenge
As of 2023, Hong Kong has approximately 90,100 hotel rooms, with an average occupancy of 85%. The average length of stay in these accommodations is about 3.5 days. Assuming 50% of hotels give a 20g soap bar, hotel soap waste is expected to be more than 6 tonnes per month. Traditionally, the vast majority of these items ended up in landfills, degrading the environment and wasting valuable resources.
Soap Cycling's Multi-pronged Solution
Soap Cycling is leading an innovative initiative to intercept these waste streams and transform them into valuable resources. The organisation collects lightly-used soaps and amenities from hotels across the city, processes and recycles them, and then redistributes the hygiene resources to communities in need throughout Asia. As such, they have saved 180,000+ kgs of soap from going into waste and distributed 150,000+ kgs of soap throughout Asia.
Currently, 400,000 children are dying from diseases like pneumonia and diarrhoea and the solution to stopping these casualties is simple- handwashing. Since 2016, the Philippine Government has actively supported the "WASH in Schools" program to enhance health and hygiene education and aid in the installation and maintenance of sanitation facilities in underfunded schools. Soap Cycling's Soaper School Distribution program complements this effort by providing free, high-quality recycled soap, enabling schools to divert more resources towards maintaining facilities and conducting engaging hygiene education activities for students.
Impact on Communities
The reach of Soap Cycling extends beyond environmental impact. Through its MEY Programme, Soap Cycling provides dignified work opportunities to disadvantaged communities, including minorities, the elderly, and youth. Hong Kong is one of the most rapidly ageing economies in the world: nearly one out of three people are over the age of 50, and nearly one in three of these people live in poverty. By engaging diverse, multigenerational communities through meaningful work, Soap Cycling not only promotes environmental sustainability but also social integration and economic support to these communities, simultaneously bridging generational gaps and fostering a spirit of community and collaboration.
Be the Change You Want to See
Recently, our interns at GREEN Hospitality had the privilege of participating in a volunteer event organised by Soap Cycling. This hands-on experience allowed them to see the tangible effects of reusing and recycling hotel amenities on community welfare and environmental health. “I really enjoyed the activity of making soap and it gives me a lot of pleasure to learn that my work is making an impact for children suffering in need. I intend to come here more often and volunteer in the activities,” said Yuki, one of the summer interns in GREEN hospitality who participated in the Soap Cycling event.
Soap Cycling’s work is an outstanding example of how sustainability efforts can create multiple benefits for both the planet and the people. We encourage everyone to get involved, whether it’s by volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word about Soap Cycling’s valuable work. For more information on how you can help, visit Soap Cycling’s website.
Join us in this journey and help make a difference in the lives of many, while protecting our planet for future generations.