FOOD & PLASTIC WASTE
REDUCTION
STANDARDS FOR TOURISM BUSINESSESTEATAThai Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Associationสมาคมไทยท่อ งเที่ ย วเชิ ง อนุ รั ก ษ์ แ ละผจญภั ย

CONTENTS
PART I: INTRODUCTION

3

1.1 GOAL OF THIS STANDARD

4

1.2 CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND WASTE REDUCTION

5

1.3 FRAMEWORK FOR THE FOOD & PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARDS

7

1.4 FOOD & PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN

8PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

13

2.1 THE FOOD WASTE PROBLEM

14

2.2 FOOD WASTE PROBLEM IN THAILAND AND THAI TOURISM

15

2.3 FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD AND CRITERIA

17

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

43

3.1 THE PLASTIC WASTE PROBLEM

44

3.2 PLASTIC WASTE PROBLEM IN THAILAND AND THAI TOURISM

46

3.3 PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD AND CRITERIA

48

REFERENCES

72

APPENDICES

75

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

2

PART I:INTRODUCTION
SOREWORD

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

3

PART I: INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
1.1 GOAL OF THIS STANDARD
This document intends to act as a guide for all tourism businesses, professionals andcommunities that wish to reduce food waste and plastic waste in their operations.
Here you will find basic facts on the food and plastic waste challenges, best practices
and case studies across the tourism and hospitality sectors, as well as tools andresources to help you start or continue your journey towards food and plastic waste
reduction.
The ultimate goal of this document, however, is to present to you our standards forfood and plastic waste reduction and management. These standards are meant to be
used by tourism businesses as a tool on the necessary “checklist” for reducing food andplastic waste.
In both standards, we advocate thatthe greatest emphasis should be given
to preventing waste. Even though themeans to do so are different in theplastics and food standards, the goalis the same: to divert waste fromlandfills as much as possible.
GUIDING FRAMEWORK: The standards follow the hierarchy of waste reduction strategies
from most environmentally and economically favourable (PREVENTION) to least (DISPOSAL).

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

4

PART I: INTRODUCTION

1.2 CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND WASTE REDUCTION
Our standards were also formulated following the principles of the circular economy.
The circular economy is opposed to the traditional economic model: the linear
economy, which entails a “take-make-dispose” approach to materials and resources(Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2022).
Circularity, instead, advocates the continuous flow of materials through the value
circle. This means that materials are never disposed of. Rather, they follow a similar
framework to that from the previous page: first, their production should be prevented,
then, if not possible, these materials must be reused, recycled and recovered – in thisorder.
Let’s look at the difference between the linear and the circular economy by using theValue Hill Framework:
LINEAR

CIRCULAR(Circle Economy & Sustainable Finance Lab, 2016)

The Value Hill Framework, as you can see, divides the use of materials into three main
phases: pre-use, use and post-use. In both models, during the pre-use phase, materials
gain value as they are turned into products and are put for ‘sale’ when they reach theuser (use phase). The main difference lies in the after (the post-use phase).

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

5

PART I: INTRODUCTION

In the linear economy, the material reaches its highest value at the top of the hill,
and after a short lifespan, this value only goes downhill. Whereas in the circular
economy, the value is retained and maximised, firstly by the optimal use of thematerial/product by the consumer and then by strategies that keep this material in
the “loop” for as long as possible.
As you see in the second figure, the smaller the loop (the first arrow, that goes backto the user), the more sustainable the strategy is, because it requires fewer logistics
and resources to retain or restore the value of the material. This is why reusing comes
before recycling in the hierarchy of waste management strategies.
Now, although it seems like strategies for waste reduction focus only on the postuse, this is not true. Let’s take a look at this more comprehensive version of the Value
Hill Framework:(Achterberg et al., 2018)

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

6

PART I: INTRODUCTION

Notice that circular strategies begin at the pre-use phase, by designing or, in the caseof tourism businesses, sourcing/purchasing products and materials that aredesigned to have a longer lifespan or to decompose more easily and quickly (e.g.,home compostable plastics). And, in the use phase, the focus should be, as we alreadymentioned, on optimising the use of this material or product.
With this framework in mind, we also divided our standards for Food Waste Reduction
and Plastic Waste Reduction into three phases, but here, because tourism businesses
do not – normally – produce or design physical products, we will use different names
for the phases: SOURCING (pre-use), USING (use) and DISPOSING (post-use). The
disposing phase does not mean landfill disposal, but all the strategies used after theuse of a material/product to actually prevent it from going to landfills.

1.3 FRAMEWORK FOR THE FOOD & PLASTICWASTE REDUCTION STANDARDSThe first step (the BEFORE
phase) towards plastic and foodwaste reduction is to adopt

1sustainable sourcing andprocurement practices.

SOURCING

The second step (the DURING
phase) involves strategies toprevent and reduce waste
during the use of thematerials/ resources.

2

WASTE

REDUCTION

3

USING

DISPOSING

The third and last step (the AFTER phase) looks at the actions taken with the food & plastic
waste that was generated despite all the efforts towards prevention, reduction and reuse of
the second step.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

7

PART I: INTRODUCTION

In the first step, the materials and resources are still not in your business, thus you
have the chance of making more sustainable and responsible sourcing choices,such as avoiding over-procurement of food (that can easily lead to spoilage),purchasing products made of materials other than plastics (bamboo, paper, wood,glass, etc.) or purchasing products designed for circularity (as we explained with theValue Hill Framework).

FOOD WASTE

Secondly, once the materials and resources are already within your business
operations, it is time to make the most of them, and use them responsibly. Thismeans avoiding their spoilage and waste (in the case of food) and prolonging theirlifespan (in the case of plastics). Obviously, for plastics, it is easier to avoid them inthe first place – this is why responsible sourcing (the first stage) is so important.
Lastly, after taking actions towards reducing waste and reusing the materials andresources as much as possible, the business should ensure that these areredistributed and disposed of also in a sustainable and responsible manner,
always using landfill disposal as a last resort.
But how can the waste reduction standards be implemented across the entire supply
chain? Certainly not all tourism businesses are involved in the purchasing of foodand/or plastics, thus also not directly involved in plastic/food waste management.
Then, what role does each actor play in waste reduction efforts?

1.4 FOOD & PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION IN THE
SUPPLY CHAIN
As we mentioned at the beginning of this document, the standards presented here
(as well as case studies and resources) are intended for all tourism businesses,
professionals and communities interested in learning how to reduce food waste andplastic waste. However, we know that, according to its type, a business can have amore direct or indirect responsibility towards waste management.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

8

PART I: INTRODUCTION

For this reason, it is important to quickly explain the concept of scope. In
sustainability, the idea of scope, mainly used in carbon emissions standards andmeasurement, can also be applied to our case: waste management.
Scope means the range or extent of responsibility or involvement in something.
Scope 1 indicates direct responsibility or involvement. Scope 2 is indirect (but direct
responsibility of a direct supplier). Scope 3 is also indirect, but it is the direct
responsibility of an indirect supplier, and so on. A little confusing? Let’s use an
example for more clarity:

You work in a TOUR OPERATOR and your (direct) suppliers include hotels,
restaurants, tourist attractions, tour guides, airlines, ground and watertransportation companies, just to name a few.

Your tour operator is
Scope 1. You have directcontrol over your policies,

Scope 2 would be yourdirect suppliers that welisted above. In the case of
hotels that you work with, it
is within their scope to, forstrategies, procurement
choices, etc. So, regarding

plastic waste, it is withinyour scope, for example, toinstall water refill stations
in your offices and raiseawareness of your staff to
use refillable water bottles
instead of purchasing
single-use plastic ones.

SCOPE 1

instance, not offer singleuse plastic toiletries but
instead install shampoo,
body wash and soap
dispensers in the rooms.

Scope 3 would be the direct
suppliers of your direct suppliers(thus indirect to you). It could be,for example, a supermarket. ThisSCOPE 3supermarket would be Scope 2 tothe hotel but Scope 3 to you
because you do not purchasedirectly from them, but your direct
supplier (the hotel) does.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSESSCOPE 29

PART I: INTRODUCTION

In our example, Scope 4 would be a wholesale food distributor that supplies food tothe supermarket and Scope 5 would be the manufacturers and/or farmers. In thisdocument, however, we will only focus on Scopes 1 to 3.
As you can imagine, the more scopes there are in your supply chain, the more difficult
it is to measure and manage everyone’s efforts and outcomes. For this reason, wesuggest that the Food and Plastic Waste Reduction standards, presented in thisdocument, should be used in steps, implementing the strategies and actions first in
Scope 1 (your business) to only then move on to Scopes 2 and 3 (your suppliers).
The following graphic, based on and adapted from the Sustainable Hospitality
Alliance (2022), suggests a pathway to the implementation of food and plastic waste
reduction measures and standards:

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

10

PART I: INTRODUCTION

As you can see from the graphic, efforts
towards food and plastic waste reduction
should start in your business, property orcommunity and move up the arrow as you
raise awareness, engage and requirecompliance from suppliers, up to the pointthat the entire supply chain is actively
committed to reducing food and plastic
waste in their operations.
Now, let’s see how to navigate through this material.
In order to facilitate the use of this document by different types of tourism businesses
as well as tourism professionals and communities, and to help clarify the role thateach one plays in waste reduction across the supply chain, all the case studies andtools presented here will be categorised by different icons according to the group towhich it is most relevant.
The groups and icons are associated as below:
Hotels and spas
Land transportation

Restaurants

Tour operators and guides

Communities (CBT)All

Marine excursions

As for the standards, each criterion will also be categorised in one or more icons, toindicate to which groups it is relevant. Also, the criteria are further classified by theirlevel of priority, from lower to higher:
Lower priority
Medium priority
Higher priority

See an example of a criterion and its classification on the next page:

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

11

PART I: INTRODUCTION

In this example, the criterion is marked with the icons, which means that it
is applicable to hotels, spas and restaurants, but optional or non-applicable for tour
operators and guides, transportation companies, marine excursions and communities.
Also, the criterion is marked with, which means that it has a lower priority.
We hope that this guidance helps you and your business or community to understandyour roles and responsibilities towards food and plastic waste reduction in the supply
chain as well as the necessary pathway to be followed by all actors and stakeholders.
Now it is time to get started! We will begin with the Food Waste Reduction Standard,
first presenting an overview of this challenge, both globally and in the context ofThailand, then moving on to the standard and criteria for food waste reduction, which
will be supported by case studies, examples, tools and resources. Next, we will follow
the same sequence, but with the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

12

PART II:FOOD WASTE REDUCTIONSTANDARD

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

13

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

2.1 THE FOOD WASTE PROBLEM
Before we present the best practices, tools and standard for food waste reduction, it
is important to understand the magnitude of this global challenge.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that one third of all foodproduced around the world – more precisely 1.3 billion tons – is either lost or goes towaste (FAO, 2019). This means that the resources – land, water, energy –, labour andcapital used along the food production process are all lost as well – and in vain.
Moreover, the food waste in landfills generates greenhouse gas emissions, thus
contributing to global warming and climate change.
Food is lost or wasted throughout the entire supply chain, from agricultural
production to consumption in households, restaurants, or other food service
businesses. The causes of such waste vary according to many factors, but they aremostly related to a country’s level of industrialisation.
In industrialised countries, food loss and waste are mainly due to overproduction anda lack of coordination between stakeholders in the supply chain, as well as poor
consumer behaviour. On the other hand, in developing countries, food is usually lost
during the early stages of the food supply chain, namely production and processing,
because of premature harvesting, poor infrastructure for storage and transportation,
among other reasons (FAO, 2011).

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

14

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Regardless of the causes or areas where food losses and waste take place, as the FAO(2011) perfectly puts it,“In a world with limited natural resources, and where cost-effective

solutions are to be found to produce enough safe and nutritious foodfor all, reducing food losses should not be a forgotten priority.”

2.2 FOOD WASTE IN THAILAND AND THAITOURISM
Tourism, before the COVID-19 pandemic,
was one of the world’s largest and mostprofitable economic sectors, and,according to the WWF, the change
towards food waste should come fromthose who have the potential to makethe biggest impact. In this sense,
hotels and restaurants can lead the way
and "help reshape the food service
industry as leaders in food waste
reduction" (WWF, 2017).
Reducing food waste in the tourism andhospitality sector will also reduce costs
along the supply chain and, more
importantly, help address the UN
Sustainable
Development
Goals(SDGs), specifically Goals 2 (Zero
Hunger), 12 (Responsible Consumption
and Production), 13 (Climate Action) and
17 (Partnerships for the Goals) (PATA,
2019).
FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

15

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

In Thailand, the challenge of food waste is highly connected to tourism andhospitality. It is estimated that in Bangkok alone, almost 5,000 tonnes of food waste
are collected every day (UNEP, 2021), and the average of food waste in Thai cities is
between 33% and 54% (GIZ Thailand, 2020). Although hotels and restaurants are notthe only ones to blame, they do play a large role in food waste generation.
It is estimated that an average 5-star hotel buffet throws away up to 50 kg of edible
food during each service period (PATA, 2018). Moreover, although in Europe thehospitality sector produces less (12%) food waste than households (53%), in Asia, theopposite happens (Juvan et al., 2021). Fortunately, however, most hospitality
businesses (83.8%) in the Asia Pacific have reported being actively committed toreducing food waste, a higher percentage than in other regions (Greenview, 2018).

Next, we will present the standard and criteria. The standard was created after
thorough research on the topic of food waste reduction in tourism & hospitality, butalso in households and communities. The toolkits and reports used in thedevelopment of the standard include, for example, the PATA Buffet Toolkit, the Hotel| Kitchen Guide by WWF, the Sustainable Food Manual by Futouris, as well as manyother important resources that will be mentioned and referenced in this document.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

16

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

2.3 FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD AND
CRITERIA
In this section, we will present the standard and criteria for Food Waste Reduction.
These will be supported by examples, case studies, tools and resources to facilitate
the understanding of the standard’s framework, criteria, subcriteria and indicators. In
the Appendices, you will find the full Food and Plastic Waste Reduction standards,
but we encourage you to continue reading this section for the presentation of thestandard with comprehensive guidance.
The standard is composed, as we just mentioned, ofmain criteria, which are divided into subcriteria andindicators, in the format of questions that can beused as a checklist by the business.
Also, the criteria can be applicable or optional/
non-applicable depending on the type of business/group. Remember our icon scheme from page 13? The
icons that follow each criterion dictate to whichgroup this criterion is applicable.
Having remembered these instructions, we will start guiding you through the Food
Waste Reduction Standards. The standard and criteria for Food Waste Reduction are
more directly applicable to restaurants and to hotels/CBTs that provide food services
but can also be used by any tourism business as guidance towards reducing foodwaste – even if only by staff, and not customers.
The criteria were created following the framework presented in the Introduction,
which is the division into the three main steps of the food consumption cycle: when
it is sourced, when it is actually used and, finally, when it is disposed of.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

17

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

The greatest efforts on Food Waste Reduction thus should lie on:• first, the avoidance of over-procurement and of spoilage during transportation anddelivery;• second, the responsible use of food during storage, preparation and service; and• third, the responsible redistribution and disposal of food surpluses and waste thatwere generated despite efforts in the first two stages.
The main criteria for each of these three phases are the following:

SOURCINGUSINGDISPOSING

Organisational
Commitment

Measuring andMonitoring

Redistribution of Food
Surpluses

Sustainable andOptimised Sourcing

Responsible andOptimised Storage

Disposal of Inedible
Food Waste

Responsible
Preparation andService

Disposal of
Unavoidable Food
Waste

Guest Communication
Reusing
Next, we will start with the first phase, SOURCING.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

18

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

2.3.1 FOOD WASTE REDUCTION CRITERIA – SOURCING
As we have already seen, strategies towards waste reduction should start before theproduct or material is in your business, property or community, by making sustainable
and responsible procurement/sourcing choices. However, before that, the firstelement every organisation, business or community needs to start the fight against
waste is buy-in from senior management (or community leader, in the case of a CBT).
Having buy-in from the beginning allows the development of a sustainability policythat includes all phases of waste reduction, from SOURCING to USING and, finally,
DISPOSING. It also allows the planning and implementation of this policy. See the
PATA Buffet Toolkit pages 8 and 9 for more information on how to develop asustainability policy.)

Therefore, in this first section of the standards for Food Waste Reduction, the criteria
focus on adopting measures mainly related to:• Organisational commitment. This criterion looks
into the level of commitment of the entire
business (including senior management andstaff) towards sustainability and food waste
reduction. It also includes having a sustainability
policy, engaging suppliers and stakeholders, andtraining staff on food waste reduction strategies.
• Avoidance of over-procurement. Measures include, for example, monitoring foodusage and visitor forecasts to inform procurement decisions; sourcing fewer
quantities but more frequently; sourcing only when needed and avoiding stocking;and assigning the responsibility of food sourcing to only one individual.
• Avoidance of food spoilage during transportation and delivery. Measures
include giving preference to local suppliers to reduce travel distance and ensuringthat suppliers transport and deliver products with the appropriate packaging andtemperature to avoid food spoilage.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

19

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Let’s begin then! Below is the Organisational Commitment criterion, which is divided
into 5 subcriteria and 8 indicators. Please refer to pages 5 and 10 of the PATA Buffet
Toolkit as well as pages 12 to 19 of the Hotel | Kitchen Guide for more guidance on
how to get organisational buy-in and engage staff towards food waste reduction.

Organisational Commitment

The business is committed to applying strategies towards food waste prevention andreduction and engages all staff in these efforts.

Subcriteria.

1. Organisational
buy-inIndicators☐ Can managers and staff with roles related to food waste
management explain the environmental and economic
benefits of food waste reduction?

☐ Is your business committed to applying food waste
reduction strategies?

2. Policy
development
andcommunication☐ Does your business possess a sustainability policy that

includes its commitment to sustainable food and waste
management in the mission statement, as well as
throughout the organisational strategies?

☐ Is this policy communicated on the business's online
platforms and throughout the facility?

3. Sustainableproduct
development☐ Does your business, if applicable, design products and4. Staff
involvement☐ Does your business raise awareness of all the staff (andand training

1

experiences for tourists (e.g., tours, excursions, activities)
with clear examples of preventing and reducing waste?1

not only those who work directly with food preparationand serving) on the importance of food waste
management?

See some tips here.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

20

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD☐ Does your business provide staff training on bestpractices to prevent food waste, including presentations,
Q&As, off-site visits to composting sites and/or
volunteering activities such as surplus food donation tocommunities?

5. Stakeholder
engagement☐ Does your business engage with other businesses andstakeholders (e.g., by forming working groups) to discussand share food waste reduction initiatives?

Case Study

When looking at ways to design tours that minimise foodwaste, DASTA (the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism
Administration), in Thailand, provides two good examples ofwaste-free Community-Based Tours.
The Petchaburi Old Town Community-Based Tourism
Club, in Petchaburi Province, designs their lunch sets
in tester sizes, served in traditional ceramic ware, tominimise both plate scrapings and plastic waste.

In the Takientia community, food products are

all locally sourced, thus the snacks and dishes
offered to tourists during CBT tours not only
support the local livelihoods but also eliminate
food and plastic waste, as they are served innatural (thus biodegradable) materials, such as
banana leaves, which are then composted andused in the local farms. This shows the level ofsustainability and circularity of these CBTs.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

21

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Case Study

As for staff engagement, the Terranea Resort,in Los Angeles, has established a “task force"for building staff awareness and creating aculture that promotes waste reduction. Thisinitiative includes, among many strategies,
the "Clean Plate Challenge Photo Contest”, inwhich employees take a picture of their clean
lunch plates to win a reusable water bottle.

BUFFET Toolkit (2019). PATA’s BUFFET (Building an Understanding for Food Excess

in Tourism) Toolkit is a practical guide for hospitality businesses that wish to start
implementing food waste reduction strategies – from sustainable procurement toadequate redistribution and disposal alternatives.

!

Hotel | Kitchen (2017). World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the American Hotel andLodging Association (AHLA), with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, came
together to work with the hospitality industry on understanding and reducing
food waste. Through research and a series of demonstration projects withproperties across the country, innovative strategies were identified to engage
staff, partners and guests in cutting waste from hotel kitchens.

Moving on to the last criterion of the SOURCING phase, Sustainable and Optimised
Sourcing looks into the measures and strategies needed to prevent food spoilage
during transportation and delivery of products, and to avoid of over-procurement.

Sustainable and Optimised Sourcing

The business is committed to applying strategies towards sustainable and optimised
sourcing and procurement to minimise food spoilage.

Subcriteria

Indicators

6. Committed
suppliers☐ Does your business work with suppliers that are also.

committed to minimising food waste?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

22

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

7. Local sourcing2☐ Does your business prioritise local sourcing to reduce
travel distance and the likelihood of food spoilage?

your business prioritise local sourcing to☐ Doesfacilitate buying less but more often according to thedemand?

☐ Does your business have a garden or farm to cultivate
herbs, spices, vegetables, etc.?

.

8. Seasonal
sourcing3☐ Does your business purchase products that are inseason for more effective production logistics (withless travel distance and spoilage)?

9. Optimised
sourcing4☐ Does your business monitor food usage, forecast
consumer demand and take into considerationseasonality to adjust the frequency of purchases
accordingly?

☐ Does your business avoid over-purchasing by ordering
food just before it is to be used/when it is needed?

10. Single primarypurchaser

your business assign the role of stock ordering to☐ Doesa single primary purchaser to prevent over-ordering bydifferent employees (if possible, given the size of theoperation)?

11. Supplier

relationship☐ Does your business establish long-term relationships

with suppliers to ensure quality consistency of goods
and avoid risks (spoilage)?

☐ Does your business communicate with suppliers toensure that the quality/ characteristic of products fits
your needs (e.g., the correct sized vegetables, etc.)?

See page 20 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit.
See page 20 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit and pages 12 and 13 of Futouris’ Sustainable Food Manual.
4
See pages 17 and 18 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit.
2

3

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

23

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

12. Streamlineddeliveries5☐ Does your business streamline procedures for receiving
deliveries (especially chilled) and transferring goods toappropriate storage to minimise food spoilage andassociated costs?

☐ Does your business ensure that the products received
have enough shelf life?

☐ Does your business ensure that the delivered products arefree from contaminants?

☐ Does your business ensure that the products have beentransported at the right temperature and with the rightpackaging to protect them from damage?

Case Study

The Sampran Model is an inclusive business model in Thailand basedon an organic social movement and fair trade. And the Organic Tourism
is a project sponsored by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation toextend the Sampran Model movement
amongst businesses in the travelindustry. Hotels and restaurants canconnect directly with organic farmers
to buy supplies at fair prices while
they engage their consumers invarious activities such as organic
farming workshops, chef's tables andlocal farm visits.

The guide Responsible Food Purchasing: Four Steps Towards Sustainability for
the Hospitality Sector (2015) by UNEP provides practical steps, tips, resources andcase studies on responsible food purchasing practices for hospitality businesses.

!

5

See page 19 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

24

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

2.3.2 FOOD WASTE REDUCTION CRITERIA – USING

Now we will present the criteria for the second step
towards Food Waste Reduction, which is when thefood products are already in your business. This stepis the most crucial one because the measures taken
here are the ones that will make the mostdifference in the amount of food waste yourbusiness generates.
The criteria of the USING phase of the Food Waste Reduction Standard are:• Measuring and monitoring. As the saying goes, "you can’t manage what you don’t
measure”. Therefore, it is crucial for the business to measure in which steps foodwaste is most generated (if during storage, preparation, or plate scrapings), setgoals and frequently monitor the results in order to adapt measures accordingly.
• Responsible and optimised storage. The first phase of food usage is its storage.
To minimise spoilage during this phase, the business must ensure appropriate
storage facilities for food products as well as extend their shelf life by, for instance,
always prioritising those that are closer to expiring.
• Responsible preparation and service. This is
the step that requires the most effort from thestaff, as they must use food products wisely andcreatively to avoid spoilage and overproduction.
• Guest communication. This criterion focuses on
avoiding plate scrapings from customers/guests,
such as by, for example, raising their awarenesson the issue of food waste.
• Reusing. Lastly, the business or CBT should, asmuch as possible, reuse food leftovers (such as
by making soups with leftover vegetables).

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

25

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

The first criterion of the USING phase, Measuring and Monitoring, is important forthe business to understand which areas to focus on. For example: if, after conducting
a food waste mapping, you discover that most food waste is generated during
preparation, your business will need to implement more strategies related to thisphase, such as raising awareness of the staff and training them on how to avoid
spoilage, over-trimming and overproduction.
It is only by measuring food waste (and determining where exactly it comes from) thatyou can make informed decisions on the best strategies, tailored to your business andits current situation. (Please see pages 12 and 13 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit for moreguidance on measuring and monitoring.)

Measuring and Monitoring

The business measures food waste, sets goals for food waste reduction, monitors results
and adapts strategies accordingly.

Subcriteria

Indicators.

13. Food waste
mapping☐ Does your business map out and measure the amount offood waste generated in each step of food usage (spoilageof raw materials, preparation, overproduction food, plate
scrapings, etc.) to understand where waste comes from andwhat prevention strategies are needed?

☐ Does your business use a tracking sheet or app for foodwaste mapping and measuring?

14. Waste andfood waste
separation6☐ Does your business have separate bins for organic andinorganic waste throughout the facility?

☐ In the kitchen, is the organic (food) waste further classified?
For example, into reusable (such as meat leftovers to makebroths and stocks), for redistribution (such as healthy and

It is important to separate the general waste as well as the food waste to obtain more accurate
results and, thus, make better decisions. Learn more about the importance of waste separation andmeasurement on pages 20 to 25 of the Hotel | Kitchen Guide.

6

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

26

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

safe surplus food to be donated), compostable (such as
vegetables and fruit peels and seeds), and unavoidable (suchas bones, shells and oils)?
15. Inventory
management☐ Does your business have a “stock and order” form (orinventory) in food storage areas to keep track of amounts offood items as they are used?

.

16. Setting
goals andmonitoring☐ After having obtained the baseline, does your business set
food waste reduction goals?

☐ Does your business monitor the results weekly or fortnightly
through waste audits7?

☐ Does your business revise and adapt strategies and staff

training depending on the success and failures of current
efforts towards food waste reduction?

ExampleFood Waste Tracking
Sheet(United States Environment
Protection Agency, 2015)7

See how to conduct a food waste audit on page 50 of the Hotel | Kitchen Guide.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

27

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Tools

Winnow is a technology that provides
solutions for kitchens to measure,monitor and reduce their food waste.
From AI-enabled tools to basic digital
measurement via tablet, Winnow offersa range of packages that can suitdifferent kitchens and sectors. The
Winnow System automatically measureswhat is put in the bin, giving chefs theinsight to make improvements andFood Intel Tech is another tool formeasuring food waste that provides an indepth analysis and a performance reportfor commercial kitchens to improve theirbottom line while reducing food waste.

reduce costs. Read here how Sofitel
Bangkok Sukhumvit saved $60,000 by
reducing food waste with Winnow.

Waste Mapping Guidance for Hotels in Cyprus: Saving Money and Improving theEnvironment (2013). Designed for use in Cyprus, this report by the Travel Foundation

is a useful guide on the key steps in implementing a waste mapping process inhotels and restaurants.

!

Prevention and Reduction of Food and Drink Waste in Businesses andHouseholds (2014). This publication by UNEP is a comprehensive guide on how to
map and measure food waste and how to prevent and reduce food waste in thebusiness supply chain.
Food Waste Segregation and Treatment (2020). This guidebook, by the National

Environment Agency of Singapore, aims to guide premises owners and operators
who generate food waste to implement proper food waste segregation and adopt
food waste recycling/treatment methods.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

28

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

The second criterion of the USING phase is Responsible and Optimised Storage. We
all know, from our own households, that it is common to waste food even before we
prepare it. Fruits and vegetables spoil quickly, dairy products have a very short shelf
life and spoil easily if not stored at the right temperature, and some products simply
end up “forgotten” on our shelves until they expire. This, of course, also happens in
professional kitchens.
For this reason, it is important for businesses to have a system in place to avoid
spoilage of products while they are being stored, as well as adequate storage

facilities. Moreover, the staff should be trained to always give preference to those

products that will expire first. (See pages 21 and 22 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit for
more guidance on responsible and optimised storage.)

Responsible and Optimised Storage

The business trains staff on best practices for food storage to minimise spoilage andextend products' shelf life.

Subcriteria
17. Adequate
storage8

Indicators☐ Does your staff handle storage carefully to avoid damage

and spoilage by understanding how each food item should
be stored?

☐ Does your business assign one member of staff forchecking fridge/freezer temperatures as well as room

conditions (enough ventilation, adequate temperature, lackof sun exposure, etc.) to minimise food spoilage?
18. Use-bylabelling☐ Does your business ensure that all food items are labelledcorrectly with purchase date and use-by date?

☐ Does your business train staff on the differences inlabelling (“best by,” “sell by,” “use by,” “freeze by,” “expireson”, etc.)?

See the A-Z Food Storage by Love Food Hate Waste with storage best practices for the mostcommon food items.
8

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

29

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

19. Shelf-life
extension☐ Does your business train staff on how to use items withthe soonest expiration date first – FIFO (first in first out)
and FEFO (first expired first out) principles?

☐ Does your staff continually rotate stock by putting thenewest product at the back of the shelf so that the oldest
gets used first?

20. Optimised
storage☐ Does your business use, whenever possible, optimised

storage options, such as marinating meats and vegetables,
sous vide9, ozone food preservation10, etc.?11

The following online articles provide valuable tips and information on how to store
food responsibly to avoid spoilage and waste:
•
•
•
•
•
•

!

Storing Food for Safety and Quality

Food Preservation Methods and Guidance
How to Store Food in Restaurants
How Long Does Food Last in the Freezer? A Storage Guide
Using a FIFO Food Storage System
6 Storage Temperatures and Procedures

Also, Work Smart – Wise Up on Waste, by Unilever, is a concise and practical guideon how to reduce food waste in all stages: from sourcing to storage, preparation anddisposal. See tips on how to store food responsible on pages 10 to 12.

The third criterion of the USING phase is Responsible Preparation and Service. In
this phase, efforts should concentrate on using the food products and ingredients, as
we have already mentioned, wisely and creatively. This means, for example, carefullyplanning the menu and recipes according to the ingredients that will expire first andavoiding overproduction by monitoring guest/customer forecasts.
Learn what sous vide is here.
Learn more here.
11
Vacuum packaging is another common alternative for preserving food products, but it is importantto take into consideration the plastic footprint of this option.
9

10

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

30

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

The strategies to reduce food waste during preparation are many, as you will see
below, and, for more guidance, please see pages 25 to 29 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit
as well as pages 31 to 33 of the Hotel | Kitchen Guide.

Responsible Preparation and Service

The business adopts and reinforces strategies to prevent and minimise food waste during
preparation and service.

Subcriteria
21. Menu
planning12

Indicators☐ Does your business frequently assess the popularity ofdishes to adjust the menu and cut down dishes (andingredients) that are not being ordered or that are being
left on the plates?

☐ Does your business control the number and diversity ofdishes to avoid over-procurement of ingredients?

22. Recipe
planning☐ Does your business use a software or app for recipe

23. Ingredientplanning☐ Does your business add daily dishes to the menu (such as

24. Overtrimming
avoidance☐ Does your business train staff to not over-trim fruits andmanagement that scales recipes according to guest
forecasts to reduce unnecessary waste of ingredients?

.

a "today's special") based on ingredients with close
expiration dates?

vegetables during preparation and to, when possible,
leave the skins on (e.g., potatoes)?

☐ Does your business regularly conduct yield tests?

13

See how to plan waste reducing menus on page 47 of the Hotel | Kitchen Guide.
Yield tests are important, besides for financial and sourcing reasons, for understanding the yieldof ingredients to reduce their waste during handling/trimming as much as possible.
12

13

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

31

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

25. Overproduction
avoidance

26. Buffetmanagement14☐ Does your business avoid overproduction bymonitoring guest forecasts, in both a la carte andbuffet services, to prepare the amount of foodaccordingly?

☐ Does your staff use temperature-controlled vessels topreserve food quality in the buffet?

☐ Does your staff monitor the amount of food displayedand only replenish when demand dictates?

☐ Does your staff use smaller food containers andchoose to replenish the buffet in less quantity butwith more frequency?

☐ Does your staff refrain from replenishing the buffet in
the last quarter of service?

27. Portion control☐ Does your business minimise the quantity of bread,starters and condiments portions given to customers?

☐ Does your staff ask guests if they want refills ofstarters, condiments, etc. instead of serving them
automatically?

☐ Does the menu include options of different portion

sizes to fit various needs, e.g., S/M/L, or kid portions?

Sustainable Food Manual. This guide by Futouris is designed to help hotels andcruise ships move towards a more sustainable food policy. The guideencompasses the different stages of the food process chain: food purchasing;!

preparation and design of a sustainable menu, presentation and communication;
waste management; and how to implement sustainable food strategies.

Learn more about the problem of food waste in buffets here and see the tips provided on pages
61 to 64 of the Hotel | Kitchen Guide.
14

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

32

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

28. Service andpresentation15.

Case Study☐ Does your staff present food creatively, such as by using

the inedible parts of fruit/vegetable prep as garnishes todecorate the plate and reduce the quantity of foodserved?

A Portuguese initiative called Menu Dose Certa (Right PortionMenu) consists of teaching restaurants how to create menus thatgenerate less food waste, by monitoring and analysing
customers’ plate scrapings, adapting menus and recipes over acertain period of time, and recording which changes led to thebiggest waste reduction from customers and guests.
Understanding which items they were mostly leaving behind andreducing portion sizes had a significant impact on food waste
reduction in all participating restaurants and canteens.

As you will see in the next set of criteria, getting feedback from customers on
the dishes and menu is also important for making such an assessment.

The Food Waste Minimisation Guidebook
for Food Retail Establishments, by NEA
and AVA, presents valuable tips andrecommendations to reduce food waste,!

such as best practices on food display.

The fourth criterion of the USING phase, Guest Communication, focuses on how to
avoid guests or customers leaving a lot of food on their plates. The name of thecriterion is communication because all the strategies of this phase focus oncommunicating to guests:• why it is important to reduce food waste and why your business is engaged infood waste reduction;

Smaller portions help reduce waste. See more tips on pages 22 and 23 of Futouris’ Sustainable
Food Manual and page 29 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit.
15

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

33

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD• details from the dishes (either on the menu or buffet) so that they make more
conscious decisions – this is important also to ensure the safety of customers
who might be allergic to some ingredients.
Remember: the more information guests and customers have, the less likely they will
waste food. (See guidance on pages 29-30 of the PATA Buffet Toolkit.)

Guest Communication

The business adopts and reinforces strategies to prevent and minimise food waste bycommunicating effectively with guests and customers.

Subcriteria
29. Raisingawareness

Indicators☐ Does your business raise guests' awareness of thesustainability policy and food waste reduction efforts?

☐ Does your business display signages on the buffet, menus
and tables to encourage guests to minimise waste?

30. Responsible
choices☐ When handling orders, does the staff ensure that guests

are aware of portion sizes, food ingredients to which theymight be allergic, preferred cooking methods and choice ofsides, to avoid that dishes are sent back to the kitchen andto minimise plate scrapings?

☐ In buffets and menus, are all dishes labelled with theirname, category (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal, etc.)
and ingredients they contain to avoid too much
experimentation?

☐ In buffets and menus, is there an indication of which

dishes are the most environmentally friendly (with lesscarbon footprint, such as plant-based?).

31. Getting

feedback☐ Does your business provide feedback forms to guests togain an understanding of which dishes and/or ingredients
could be taken out of the menu?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

34

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Case Study

Cool Food is an online platform that helps businesses andorganisations reduce the climate impact of the food they serve. The
Cool Food Badge is used to indicate which dishes on a menu are
climate-friendly, i.e., that have a low carbon footprint. Why nothave a similar badge on your menu/buffet for plant-based dishes?
You can also sign the Cool Food Pledge and use their Cool Foodcalculator to set targets and track climate impacts.

The Sustainable Food Communication Manual, by
Futouris, provides a range of tools to communicate
efforts towards food waste reduction to guests andcustomers. Ideas for posters, banners, stickers, info
sheets, table displays and many other downloadable andprintable materials are available in this manual.

Tool

Lastly, the last criterion of the USING phase is Reusing. Despite all efforts in theprevious stages, it is normal to have leftovers from food preparation and from thebuffet. Therefore, the staff should be trained on how to reuse these leftovers, either
to make new dishes or non-food products. Reusing leftovers requires creativity, butthere are many blogs, videos and resources online to help give insights and ideas.

•

6 Smart Ways to Reuse Food Scraps and Leftovers•

11 Tips to Reuse Food Remains in the Household•

Reusing Food Waste, Scraps and Leftovers•

How to Turn Food Scraps into Cleaning Materials

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

Examples35PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Reusing

The business adopts and reinforces the reusing of food prep waste and leftovers/ surpluses
to minimise food waste.

Subcriteria

Indicators.

32. Staff training☐ Does your business train staff on recovery strategies andencourage them to reuse food prep waste and leftovers
whenever possible?

33. Reuse offood prep
waste andleftovers16☐ Whenever possible, does your staff utilise food prep

waste and leftovers to make other dishes (such as usingbones and vegetable trimmings to make stock)?

☐ Whenever possible, does your staff utilise food prep

waste for preparing other products for the facility (suchas orange/lemon/lime peels for making detergents)?

Case Study

A European initiative called Robin Food transforms surplus
vegetables into soups and distributes these to vulnerable
families through food banks and social grocers. Robin Foodis just one of many projects, businesses and organisations

that uses food surpluses to create new products either to be sold,donated, redistributed or used in-house. So why not also use yourcreativity and make new products with your business’s surplus food?

2.3.3 FOOD WASTE REDUCTION CRITERIA –DISPOSING
The last phase of our Food Waste Reduction standard is DISPOSING. Here, disposing
does not mean throwing away. Instead, it refers to all the measures that can bebsahsa16

Get some recipe ideas with leftover ingredients here.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

36

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

taken by a business to avoid food waste ending up in landfills. These measures are
divided according to the type of food waste:• Edible food – food surpluses that are fit forhuman consumption, such as leftovers fromthe buffet or food products that will not be
used but are still within the expiration date.
• Inedible food – food that is not fit for humanconsumption, such as plate scrapings, fruitand vegetable peels and seeds, eggshells, etc.
Based on this division, there is one criterion for edible food and two for inedible food:• Redistribution of food surpluses. The food surpluses that will not be used (orreused) by the business should be redistributed and donated. In 2020, between 720
and 811 million people faced hunger (FAO, 2021), and by donating quality excess
food, the tourism industry can help address this global issue. (See pages 31 to 34
of the PATA Buffet Toolkit and pages 34 to 37 of the Hotel | Kitchen Guide to learn
how to get involved in food donation and redistribution schemes.)• Disposal of inedible food waste. The food that is no longer fit for humanconsumption does not necessarily need to go to landfills. The two simplest
alternatives are composting and animal feeding, but businesses can also invest infood digestors, or they can collaborate with organisations that repurpose foodwaste.
• Disposal of unavoidable food waste.
The last resort, as we have alreadymentioned, is landfill disposal. So, if
despite all previous efforts, there isunavoidable food waste, the disposal
needs to abide by the local fooddisposal regulations.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

37

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Let’s start with the first criterion of the DISPOSING phase, Redistribution of Food
Surpluses. As discussed above, quality surplus food should go to those who need it,
as almost 10% of the world population experiences hunger. Therefore, the businesscan and should find redistribution and donation partners in their municipality orcommunity and organise regular collections and deliveries that fit everyone’s needs.
Partnerships are important for consistency and reliability, from both sides.

Redistribution of food surpluses

The business redistributes all quality food surpluses to minimise food waste.

Subcriteria
34. Donation

Indicators☐ Does your business redistribute food surpluses to staff

and organisations in accordance with health and safety
regulations?

☐ Does your business engage local organisations andinstitutions that may have a need for quality surplus food(such as shelters)?

☐ Does your business have a reliable partner for food

donation that helps redistribute quality surplus food?

35. Other

Does your business participate in food redistribution☐
redistribution
schemesCase Studyschemes, such as food sharing apps (e.g., Too Good to Go)?

Scholars of Sustenance (SOS) is a food rescue

organisation currently active in Thailand andIndonesia that rescues surplus food in hotels,
restaurants and supermarkets and redistributes
this food to communities in need. They workwith over 400 food donors from hospitality
businesses, retailers and wholesalers, and they
rescue and distribute 5 tons of food every day.
What if you could be a donor too?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

38

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Another food redistribution initiative inThailand is the app Yindii, which connects

eco-friendly consumers with restaurants,
supermarkets, bakeries, etc. that havesurplus quality food products at discounted
prices. The company has reported working

with over 150 businesses and having saved
over 20,000 meals and 50,000 kg of CO2.

The second criterion of the DISPOSING phase, Disposal of Inedible Food Waste, looks
at what to do with food waste that is not fit for redistribution or donation, such as
expired and spoiled products, plate scrapings and food preparation waste. If yourbusiness does not have a composting site or animal farm, then it will likely needpartnerships for the collection of food waste to be composted or repurposed. Also, amore costly alternative would be to invest in an anaerobic digestor, as alreadymentioned.

Disposal of inedible food waste

The business diverts from landfills, as much as possible, all inedible food waste (foodthat is not fit for human consumption).

Subcriteria
36. Animal feed17

Indicators☐ Does your business collaborate with partners for donating
inedible food to farms, zoos, animal feed suppliers, etc.?

.

Read about food waste for animal feeding on pages 63 to 65 of the toolkit Reducing the Food
Wastage Footprint. Also, the section Recycle/Recover that starts at page 67 brings many tips andexamples of how to divert inedible food waste from landfill.
17

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

39

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

37. Composting18☐ Does your business have a compost on site and use
compost as fertiliser on its grounds, gardens, etc.?

☐ Does your business take compost to a local farm?
☐ Does your business arrange daily/weekly pickups with themunicipality for organic waste?

38. Anaerobic
digestion☐ Does your business, if financially viable, invest in an

39. Partnerships
forrepurposing☐ Does your business establish partnerships or belong to a

Case Studyanaerobic food digester, which transforms food waste
into environmentally safe water that can be released into
the municipal sewage system (ORCA) or even energy?

cluster of tourism stakeholders that collaborate withthird-party companies and industries that digest or
repurpose food by-products?

Wastegetable is a Bangkok-based social
enterprise managed by the Bangkok Rooftop
Farming. The organisation collects food wastefrom partner businesses and composts this waste,

which is then used as fertiliser in rooftop
vegetable and herb gardens in the city. Thesegardens, managed by employees and volunteers,
are open to anyone who wishes to buy organic

vegetables, plants, fertilisers or participate intrainings and workshops on food waste
management and urban farming.

Did you know that black soldier flies are used in many countries for composting food waste? Theirlarvae are voracious consumers of organic material, and they can convert large quantities of foodwaste/by-products into high quality protein, while insect manure can be used as compost.
18

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

40

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

ORCA is a technology that mimics a natural digestion process. It is anaerobic food digester that turns food waste into environmentally safe
water that can be released into the municipal waste system.

Tool

Finally, the last criterion of the DISPOSING phase and of the Food Waste Reduction
standard is Disposal of Unavoidable Food Waste. Even after applying several
strategies in all previous phases, some food waste is unavoidable. Nevertheless, thebusiness should get informed on local food disposal standards and regulations toknow how to dispose of this unavoidable food waste as responsibly and sustainably
as possible.

Disposal of unavoidable food waste

Despite all the efforts to prevent food waste or to redistribute and repurpose food waste,
the business disposes of any unavoidable food waste according to local regulations andstandards.

Subcriteria
40. Proper disposal ofunavoidable foodwaste

Indicators☐ Does your business abide by all local fooddisposal standards and regulations?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

41

PART II: FOOD WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

We have concluded the Food Waste Reduction standard, having gone through all
the 10 criteria, 40 subcriteria and 74 indicators. Although these may seem
overwhelming, remember: sustainability is a marathon, not a sprint. Your businessshould look at long-term commitment and positive change, and not quick solutions.
We suggest beginning with the steps that are easier to implement first. For example,
if your business already has a garden or farm, you can start by looking at how tocompost food waste, what types of food can be composted, etc. Another good way tostart is by:• Understanding your context. Does your municipality possess an organic waste
collection and treatment system in place? Are there food redistribution anddonation organisations in your area that you could partner with?
• Engaging your senior management and staff and getting them on board on what
you wish to accomplish – minimising food waste. By discussing together thechallenges and opportunities of your specific context, you will more likely comeup with efficient strategies and maintain these in the long term.
We hope that the standards, examples, casestudies, tools and resources presented here were
helpful for you to gain a deeper understandingof the food waste challenge and the best ways
to tackle it. We encourage you to get in touchwith the companies and organisations
mentioned here to share insights and, possibly,
discuss tailored solutions, and to get in touchwith us at ssr@pata.org so we can also help you
find the best alternatives for your business.
As we move on to the Plastic Waste Reduction Standard, we would like to stress that
although, as you may have noticed, the majority of criteria presented in this section
is applicable mostly to restaurants and hotels and CBTs that provide and/or serve
food, all businesses can help, directly or indirectly, in the fight against foodwaste. You can find out how in the Solution Tree on page 83 of the Appendices.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

42

PART III:
PLASTIC WASTE
REDUCTION STANDARD

1

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTIONSTANDARD
3.1 THE PLASTIC WASTE PROBLEM
It is time to shift our focus to the other great global challenge in waste management:
plastics. It goes without saying that the amount of plastics we produce, consume anddispose of is unsustainable and that plastic pollution is one of today’s most pressing
issues. Plastic pollution, as we all know it, degrades the environment, kills wildlife,
contaminates our food chain and, thus, damages our health. And single-use anddisposable plastics, particularly, represent the biggest problem.
Every year, according to UNEP (2021), 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used, andevery minute, one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased around the globe.
This leads to 300 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. Among the mostcommon plastics found in the environment are bottles, bottle caps, cigarette buds,
food wrappers, grocery bags, drink lids, straws and stirrers (UNEP, 2021).
Now, although the solution to this challenge is neither easy nor quick, the first two
biggest steps we should take are:• first, reducing the production of plastics by finding suitable alternative materials
AND producing plastics that are designed to be circular; and• second, effectively managing our current plastic waste, by giving an adequate
treatment (i.e., recycling) to the plastics that already exist.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

44

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

This first topic goes back to the circular economy that we discussed in the
Introduction of this document, remember? The fight against plastic waste mustnecessarily involve innovating the way we produce plastics, making sure that they
are either reusable, recyclable or compostable (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2021).
Plastic pollution also poses a huge threat to tourism destinations across the globe.
Take a look at the infographic below to understand why:

(PATA, 2020)

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

45

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

As you can see from the infographic, plastic pollution not only has severe
consequences on the environment of destinations but also causes negative
economic impacts, such as the costs for cleaning and collecting this waste and thedecreased visual attractiveness of the place, especially beaches and riverfronts. But
tourism itself is also to blame for this problem.
Tourism activities and tourism businesses contribute greatly to plastic pollution.
In the Mediterranean, for example, marine litter increases up to 40% during tourist
peak season (One Planet, 2021), and this is why it is important for tourism businesses
to, just as with food waste reduction, take the lead in the fight against plastic waste.

3.2 PLASTIC WASTE IN THAILAND AND THAITOURISMThe Asia Pacific is responsible for producing most of the plastic waste that enters theworld’s oceans. The higher production and consumption of plastic products are
explained by the increased economic power of the region, but this was not met witha compatible waste management infrastructure (Ocean Conservancy, 2017). As you
have seen in the infographic, the vast majority of plastics (91%) is not recycled.
In Thailand, about 2 million tonnes of plastic waste have been generated every year
in the last decade, and it is estimated that up to a quarter of this amount comes fromother nations, flowing into Thailand through the international plastic waste trade(Rujivanarom, 2021).

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

46

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Moreover, according to a study conducted by IUCN
(2020), tourism is the third sector with the highest
plastic leakage rates in the country, behind only
the packaging and textiles sectors. Most plastic
waste in tourism consists of single-use plastic
water bottles, and this is why tourism service
providers must adopt solutions to fight thiscommon type of waste (many strategies will bepresented in the next section).
To tackle the issue of plastic pollution in Thailand,
the Thai government has launched the Roadmap
on Plastic Waste Management 2018-2030, withmeasures to minimise and prevent theconsumption of seven plastic items and types,
through bans and campaigns such as ‘Every Day
Say No To Plastic Bags’ (Bangkok Post, 2020).

(Global view of plastics inThailand. IUCN, 2020)

Next, we will move on to the Plastic Waste Reduction standard, which, like the Food
Waste standard, was also developed after thorough research through documents,
reports, presentations and toolkits for plastic waste prevention and reduction.
The materials used in the development of the standard include, for example, thereport Rethinking Single-Use Plastic Products in Travel & Tourism by UNEP and WTTC,
the guide How to Reduce Single-Use Plastic: Guidance for Tourism Businesses by
Futouris, the report Addressing Pollution from Single-Use Plastics: A Life Cycle
Approach – Key messages for tourism businesses, by the Global Tourism Plastics
Initiative, as well as many other important resources that will be mentioned andreferenced in this document.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

47

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

3.3 PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD
AND CRITERIAIn this section, we will present the standard and criteria for Plastic Waste Reduction,
which, likewise with the Food Waste Reduction standard, will also be supported byexamples, case studies, tools and resources for better guidance and understanding.
The Plastic Waste Reduction standard can be used by any tourism business, as
plastics are still a challenge to be overcome in most households, communities,businesses and industries. Nevertheless, there might be criteria and/or indicatorsthat will not be applicable to your context, so remember to follow the icon schemeon page 10.
The criteria for Plastic Waste Reduction are also divided into the three main steps ofthe plastic consumption cycle: sourcing, using and disposing of. Here, the greatest
efforts should lie on:•••

first, the avoidance of purchasing non-recyclable, non-reusable and/or nonbiodegradable products, and the search for plastic-free solutions;second, the implementation of actions to continuously reduce plastic waste(through measuring, monitoring and setting reduction goals) and to prolong thelife of plastic products that could not be avoided; andthird, the adequate disposal of plastic waste that was generated despite efforts
in the first two stages.

The main criteria for each of these three stages are the following:

SOURCINGUSINGDISPOSING

Organisational
Commitment

Measuring andMonitoring

Disposal of Plastic
Waste

Avoiding All Waste

Reusing Plastic
Products

Sourcing Reusable
Products
Sourcing Appropriate
Single-Use Products

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

48

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Differently from the Food Waste Reduction standard, in which the main efforts
concentrate on the responsible storage, preparation and service (the USING phase),with plastics the focus should be on the first phase. This is because businesses
should, first, AVOID the procurement of plastics, so that, in the next steps, there is as
little plastic as possible in the business’s operations. Therefore, the SOURCING phaseis crucial for plastic waste reduction.

3.3.1 PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION CRITERIA –SOURCING

Before looking into the strategies for sustainable sourcing to prevent plastic waste,
however, as we have seen in the Food Waste Standard, the first step is always having
buy-in from the senior management or community leader. Organisational
Commitment, thus, is the first criterion of the standard, as it will allow the policy
development, planning and implementation of all the subsequent steps.
This criterion also involves training staff, communicating plastic waste reduction
efforts to customers and, very importantly, engaging suppliers. As you will see, it
might be necessary for the business to raise awareness and provide information for
suppliers on the importance of plastic reduction as well as work together with them
SOURCING
to find ways of reducing waste from packing and packaging.
As for the other three criteria of the SOURCING phase, they consist of strategies foravoiding the procurement of any single-use or non-recyclable materials, and forfinding the most appropriate single-use options for your context.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

49

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Let’s start then with the first phase of the Plastic Waste Reduction standard.

Organisational Commitment

The business is committed to applying strategies towards plastic avoidance and plastic
waste reduction and engages all staff, suppliers and stakeholders in these efforts.

Subcriteria
1. Organisational
buy-inIndicators☐ Can managers and staff with roles related to plastic
waste management explain the environmental andeconomic benefits of plastic waste reduction?

☐ Is your business (including senior management)

engaged and committed to applying plastic waste
prevention strategies?

☐ Is your business part of any global movement (e.g.,
Global Tourism Plastics Initiative)?

2. Policy
development
andcommunication☐ Does your business possess a sustainability policythat includes its commitment to plastic waste
avoidance and reduction in the mission statement,
as well as throughout the organisational strategies?

☐ Is this policy communicated on the business's online
platforms and throughout the facility?

.

3. Sustainableproduct

development☐ Does your business, if applicable, design products

and experiences for tourists (e.g., tours, excursions,activities) that are plastic waste-free from thestart?19

4. Supplierengagement andawarenessraising☐ Does your business choose to work, wheneverpossible, with suppliers that are also committed toreducing plastic waste in their operations and/orthat are engaged in emissions reduction
efforts/carbon offsetting schemes?

This toolkit by Searious Business gives tips and recommendations for developing responsible andplastic-waste free tours.
19

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

50

PART III:
III: PLASTIC
PLASTIC WASTE
WASTE REDUCTION
REDUCTION STANDARD
STANDARD
PART☐ Does your business raise suppliers’ awareness on ways toreduce or eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging(especially double packaging)?

☐ Does your business suggest best practices and plastic
alternatives to suppliers?

☐ Does your business create incentives for suppliers to

reduce plastics (such as promoting and marketing them,establishing partnerships and/or long-term contracts,etc.)?

☐ Does your business negotiate with suppliers ways of

sending back product packages for refill (such as bottles
of cleaning products, liquid soap, shampoo, etc.)?

☐ Does your business negotiate with suppliers a deposit
system/return system for delivery packaging (e.g.,reusable crates, bottles, cool boxes)?

As you can see from the first part of the Organisational Commitment criterion,
engaging and assisting suppliers to reduce plastics in their operations has a direct
impact on the amount of plastic waste your business will generate. Communicatingwith your suppliers about ways of reducing plastic packaging, for example, will not
only help tackle the plastic waste problem but will also cut costs.

Case Study

Six Senses only works with partners and suppliers whoshare its commitment to Zero Waste and Plastic Free. Six
Senses Laamu, Maldives, for instance, has removed all
Styrofoam boxes from its sourcing operations, byproviding suppliers with biodegradable thermo boxes. You

will see another case study on how to engage suppliers
and reuse packaging and packing boxes/ cartons in thesection of the USING phase, when we talk about reverse
logistics (page 73).

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

51

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

5. Staff
involvement andtraining☐ Does your business raise awareness of all the staff(including tour guides, tour leaders, drivers,

salespeople etc. who have direct communication
with customers) on the importance of plastic waste
management?

☐ Does your business provide staff training on bestpractices to prevent plastic waste, including

presentations, Q&As, off-site visits to recycling sites
and/or volunteering activities such as beach/riverclean-ups?
6. Stakeholder
engagement☐ Does your business engage with other businesses

7. Guest/customer
communication20☐ Does your business communicate its sustainability

and stakeholders (e.g., by forming working groups)
to discuss and share plastic reduction initiatives?

efforts towards plastic waste reduction tocustomers and guests through the website, social
media as well as in the facility (through signages) toraise their awareness?

☐ Is the frontline staff able to communicate thebusiness’s plastic reduction strategies tocustomers/guests and help them make moresustainable choices?

Plastic Free Toolkit for Tour Operators (2020). This guide by PATA is designed toassist tour operators to reduce plastic waste in operations, but it can also be!

applied to other tourism businesses that wish to learn how to start implementing
plastic reduction measures. See pages 13 and 14 for more guidance on the criterionof Organisational Commitment.

See some tips on guest communication on page 17 of the How to Reduce Single-Use Plastic
report as well as page 30 of the PATA Plastic Free Toolkit for Tour Operators.
20

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

52

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

The second criterion of the SOURCING phase is Avoiding All Waste, which looks into
finding strategies and solutions that avoid all single-use waste in the first place by,for example, opting for dispensers rather than single-use packaging.
An analysis conducted by EXO Foundation (2019), part of the EXO Travel Group,
revealed that, while on a tour, each traveller consumes an average of four plastic

water bottles a day. Given that, at thattime, they hosted approximately 150,000
tourists a year, which alone accounts for
600,000 single-use plastic bottles being
disposed of every year.
EXO decided to tackle this issue by
incentivising the use of reusable waterbottles and refill stations by both staff andguests, which showed great results (seecase study on the next page). For thisreason, the same strategy is recommended
to all businesses, households andconsumers – and the first subcriteria below
focuses exactly on this: the avoidance of
single-use plastic water bottles.

Avoiding All Waste

The business is committed to finding solutions for common plastic waste challenges that
not only avoid plastic waste but also any type of waste.

Subcriteria
8. Avoiding
plastic
waterbottles

Indicators☐ Does your business reduce (or, ideally, eliminate) plastic

water bottles by installing refill stations or water fountains
throughout the facility?

☐ Does your business provide reusable mugs and/or glasses forwater drinking in these refill stations and water fountains?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

53

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD☐ Does your business provide (or sell) reusable water bottles
to staff and guests?

☐ Does your business encourage guests to use reusable waterbottles and refill stations by raising awareness of the issueof plastic pollution and by ensuring them the water is safefor drinking?

☐ Does your business offer and recommend water from a refill

station (or tap water when safe for drinking) to guests when
they order plastic water bottles?

☐ Does your business ensure the sanitation and hygiene of therefill stations?

☐ Does the staff (especially tour guides) set the example tocustomers by having and using their own refillable waterbottles?

☐ In the case of a hotel, does your business place reusable

glass bottles filled with drinking water in each room (andencourage guests to ask staff to refill whenever needed)?

Case Study

The Refill My Bottle App, developed by EXO Foundation,
allows users to identify places near them (cafes,
restaurants, hotels, shops, museums, etc.) that haverefillable water stations. Refills are currently available
in 4,000 locations around the world! Why not install
refill water stations in your business too? You can also
sell branded reusable bottles to customers and guests
to increase their motivation.

Another organisation that provides reusable water bottles and refill stations tocustomers is the tour operator Discova. They reported having saved over 15 tonnes ofplastic waste between 2017 and 2019 by applying strategies to replace single-use
plastics, such as the already mentioned reusable bottles and investment inbiodegradable, package-free wet tissues. These tissues have replaced a total of
225,446 plastic-wrapped wet napkins (almost one ton of saved plastic waste).

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

54

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Tool

Trash Hero is an organisation founded in Thailand in 2013 that aims tobring communities together to clean and reduce waste in theenvironment; create a sustainable future through projects that help
reduce plastic pollution; and encourage long-term behavioural change.
One of its initiatives is the Bottles & Bags Programme in Thailand.

Businesses can purchase Trash Hero’s reusable bags and bottles to beresold and become part of the Trash Hero movement and refill online

map. Why not have a look at this initiative as well as other potential
collaborations with Trash Hero?

Single-use plastic water bottles, as you know by now, are significant contributors to
the world’s plastic waste problem. But they are not the only ones. Single-use
toiletries, sauce sachets, takeaway packaging and coffee cups, just to name a few,
are also extremely common plastic waste in tourism businesses and thus should
be addressed. One key solution in this sense is to choose dispensers, jars, bottles andother refillable containers over disposable individual items.
9. Avoiding
single-use
toiletries
and sachets☐ Does your business use dispensers for liquid soap, shampoo,
etc. instead of single-use toiletries?

☐ Does your business use dispensers for sauce (such as
ketchup and mayonnaise) instead of plastic sachets?

☐ Does your business provide sugar, salt and pepper indispensers, shakers or paper sachets instead of plastic
ones?

☐ Does your business provide jams, honey and butter indispensers, bowls, or jars instead of plastic pre-portioned
packages?

☐ Does your business provide loose tea bags (or even loose
tea leaves) in jars instead of single tea bag wrappings?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

55

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

10. Avoiding plastic
film wrap☐ Does your business avoid and regularly monitor theusage of plastic film wrap and tin foil to cover foodleftovers or ingredients and set reduction goals?

11. Avoiding leaflets☐ Does your business choose digital communication
and apps instead of having leaflets or laminatedbrochures?

From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic
Pollution (2020). This comprehensive assessment, developed by UNEP, examines
the magnitude and severity of marine litter and plastic pollution and reviews
existing solutions and actions.

The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics (2016). Thispublication, by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is another great resource for those

who wish to have a broader understanding of the plastic challenge and to learn how!

to rethink and transform global plastic packaging material flows.

Stop the Flood of Plastic: Effective Measures to Avoid Single-Use Plastics andPackaging in Hotels. (2019). This report from WWF Germany provides the top 10
measures for reducing single-use plastics, as well as case studies andrecommendations for tourism businesses (hotels and tour operators) and tourists.
Toolkit for Plastic Waste-Free Hospitality and Toolkit for Plastic Waste-Free
Tours (2020). These toolkits by IUCN, Norad and Searious Business provide practicaland straightforward tips for tourism businesses to start implementing plastic waste
reduction strategies.

The COVID-19 pandemic, besides all its economic, social and health and safety
implications, also led to severe setbacks in the world’s fight against plastic waste.
Single-use plastics are perceived as more hygienic than reusable materials because
they are disposed of immediately after being used a single time.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

56

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

However, scientists argue that this is not necessarily true and that reusable
products, after being washed and sanitised, are as safe and efficient as single-use
ones (Greenpeace, 2020; Futouris, 2021).
Therefore, it is possible to maintain hygiene standards and at the same time avoid
single-use plastic products, such as gloves, masks (which are made from plastic
fibres), disposable wipes and hand sanitisers, by, for example:••••

reducing touchpoints;choosing refillable sanitisers over single-use ones;
incentivising frequent hand washing and use of sanitisers;
incentivising reusable masks.

(See more guidance on page 18 of the guide How to Reduce Single-Use Plastic as wellas on the Recommendations for the Tourism Sector to Continue Taking Action on
Plastic Pollution during COVID-19 Recovery.)

12. Reducing
Covid-19
single-use
PPE☐ Does your business provide hand sanitiser dispensers
throughout the facility?

☐ Does your business encourage the use of hand sanitisers
instead of single-use plastic gloves (in a buffet for

example) if these are not mandatory by local regulations?

☐ Does your business encourage guests and staff to use

reusable masks (e.g., selling reusable “branded” masks)?

The ‘Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free’ campaign, funded by TUI Care Foundation,!

provides several open-sourced downloadable resources on plastic waste reduction,such as 'Information to Help Hotels to Reduce Plastic during COVID-19’, ‘Plastic Free
Hotel Training Toolkit’, a PowerPoint presentation for hotel staff, info sheets forguests, among others.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

57

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

13. Avoiding
plastic
packaging☐ Does your business prioritise purchasing products in bulk to
reduce plastic packaging and waste?

☐ Does your business source locally to reduce travel distanceand plastic packaging and waste?

☐ Does your business prioritise purchasing products (such as
fruits and vegetables) that come without unnecessary
plastic wrapping?
14. Avoiding
bin bags

Tool☐ Does your business avoid rubbish bin bags throughout thefacility for dry materials (non-organic)?

The Decision Trees by UNEP
and WTCC (2021), on pages 23
to 27 of the guide Rethinking
Single-Use Plastic Products inTravel & Tourism, provide
practical recommendations
based on simple Yes and No
questions for the management
and elimination of the mostcommon single-use plastic
products in today’s tourism
businesses.

Now that we have seen all the ways that a business or community can reduce plastic
waste by finding waste-free solutions, we will move to the next criterion, Sourcing
Reusable Products.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

58

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Sourcing Reusable Products

The business is committed to prioritising the sourcing of reusable products over single-use
ones as much as possible.

Subcriteria

Indicators

15. Sourcing
reusable☐ Does your business source long-lasting reusable dishware,

products

plates, bowls and containers instead of plastic ones?

☐ Do you purchase reusable cloths made from natural fibres?
☐ Does your business purchase reusable laundry bags madeof cotton or linen?

☐ Does your business prioritise sourcing other types ofreusable products over single-use ones wheneverapplicable and available?

!

Plastic Reduction Guidelines for Hotels (2020). TUI has developed guidelines forhoteliers to help them create their own single-use plastic reduction programme
and implement it throughout their operations. It provides information, practicaladvice and suggested alternatives to many single-use and unnecessary plastic
items that are commonly found in hotels.

The Six Senses brand has always been committed toCase Study

combating plastic waste and for many years it does notoffer plastic straws and single-use plastic toiletries in its
hotels. Nevertheless, the company decided to take a stepfurther and established a new plastic waste strategy, withthe ambitious goal of eliminating all plastic from its 18
resorts and 29 spas in 20 countries until 2022. Up to 2019,
Six Senses reported having eliminated or avoided over 1.69
million water bottles, 1.12 million coffee capsules, 26,000

toothbrushes, 460,000 packaging items, 52,000 single-use
bags and over 320,000 plastic straws (UNEP & WTTC, 2021).
Click here to know how they reached these targets.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

59

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

The TUI Group is another company that, despite alreadybeing committed to sustainability, decided to dive deeper
into greening its operations and value chain. The group,
which includes accommodation, transport and destination
services, introduced in 2018 a plastic waste reduction
workstream, with the target of reducing single-use plastic

products (SUPPs) by 250 million across the group. By theend of 2019, TUI reported having eliminated 197 million
SUPPs across the hotels, 31 million from cruises and 27

million from airlines. Learn how here.

Despite efforts on sourcing reusable materials as much as possible, in our everyday
activities as well as business operations, some single-use products, such as bins fororganic waste or takeaway packaging, are inevitable. However, non-recyclable singleuse plastics, as we all know, inevitably end up in landfills and take hundreds of years
to decompose.
For this reason, the next and last criterion of
the SOURCING phase, Sourcing Appropriate
Single-Use Products, presents strategies on
how to choose the most sustainable single-use
options that can be disposed of responsibly inthe business’ municipality. Therefore, the firstsubcriterion is Understanding the local
context, as this will allow the business tomake more informed sourcing decisions. For
example, it would be meaningless for a hotel
to purchase industrially compostable bin bags
if the municipality does not have theinfrastructure to process this product. And if
you would use this bin bag to collect, forinstance, glass waste, this compostablematerial would even contaminate the recycling
system.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

60

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Sourcing Appropriate Single-Use Products

The business is committed to finding the most sustainable single-use products that can bedisposed of responsibly in its context.

Subcriteria
16. Understanding
local context

Indicators☐ Does your business understand which materials are
accepted by the local waste collection service forcomposting, recovery and recycling?

17. Local sourcing21☐ Does your business source products made with local
materials to avoid purchasing plastic ones (such as
banana leaves for food wrapping)?

☐ Does your business source products that can berecovered and recycled locally (i.e., that themunicipality has the infrastructure to collect andprocess)?

18. Sourcing
sustainable andappropriate
single-use
products☐ Does your business prioritise sourcing single-use

products that are either recyclable, biodegradable22 orthat have a high percentage of recycled plastic
content?

☐ Does your business source sustainable and appropriate
bin bags for organic waste (such as made of potato
starch, which can break down in landfills)?

☐ Does your business source sustainable and appropriate
takeaway packaging?

☐ Does your business source sustainable and appropriate
straws and stirrers (such as made of paper, bamboo orsimilar)?23

Get some ideas here on what kind of products tourism businesses can source locally.
See the products from Fang Thai Factory and Gracz as examples in Thailand.
23
Remember to check the product’s composition (to see if it in fact does not contain plastics) andthe disposal options (to see if this product can be disposed of responsibly in your municipality).
21

22

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

61

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD!

How to Reduce Single-Use Plastic: Guidance for Tourism Businesses (2021). This
guide by Futouris supports tourism businesses in finding more sustainable
alternatives to commonly used single-use plastic products. The recommended

alternatives are rated according to their sustainability performance index, whichtakes into consideration the impact of the material on the environment,
recyclability and existing disposal options, as you can see in the image below.

(Futouris, 2021)

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

62

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Addressing Pollution from Single-Use Plastics: A life Cycle Approach – Keymessages for tourism businesses (2021). This document, developed by the Global!

Tourism Plastics Initiative, aims to educate tourism stakeholders and provide
evidence-based guidance for decision-making to address pollution from single-use
plastic products. It provides key messages and recommendations specifically forbottles, cups, bags, takeaway food packaging and tableware.

You may have felt slightly overwhelmed by the SOURCING criteria presented in theprevious pages, but, as we already mentioned, it is important to take one step at atime. Changing consumption and procurement patterns will not happen
overnight, so the more you research and familiarise yourself with plastic waste
reduction strategies, the more solutions you will find. There are countless resources
and best practices out there to learn from and get inspired by.
Also, keep in mind that eliminating products saves money, and replacing productsthat you cannot operate without might be much easier and cheaper than you think.
A study conducted with hotels in Europe shows the potential savings that thesebusinesses have from using sustainable alternatives. Take a look:

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

63

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD(Searious Business, in Fotouris, 2021)

As you can see from the graphs, even though the initial cost of sustainable alternatives
may be slightly higher than of plastic products, in the long run, they are much morecost-effective, as all these alternatives generate less procurement costs, less wasteof materials and less CO2 emissions.
Now, let’s continue looking at strategies for plastic waste reduction as we move on to
the next phase of our standard, USING.

3.3.2 PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION CRITERIA – USING
As we have discussed, when abusiness actively avoids the
procurement of plastics in the
SOURCING phase, this creates theadvantage of simplifying thefollowing phases, as there is as
little plastic as possible in thebusiness’s operations.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

64

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

If you purchase single-use plastic cutlery for your sit-in customers, for example, theseplastics, as the name suggests, will only be used a single time and then be disposedof. There is not much the business can do in this case. These plastic cutleries cannot
be reused, repurposed or recycled, and they will end up in landfills. This is why weemphasise the importance of the first phase for a more significant reduction ofyour business’s plastic footprint.
Now, in the USING phase, we will look at the strategies that can be taken by abusiness to:• Assess the amount of plastic waste in the business’s operations, despite efforts
in the SOURCING phase. This involves regularly measuring, setting goals andmonitoring results for continuous improvement towards plastic waste reduction.
• Prolong the life of existing or unavoidable plastics in your business’s
operations. This entails finding other uses for plastic products and/or returning
plastic packaging and containers for refill with the suppliers so that this material
can go back and forth several times instead of being disposed of after a single use.
Let’s get started, then, with the first criterion of the USING phase, Measuring andMonitoring.

Measuring and Monitoring

The business measures plastic waste, sets goals for plastic waste reduction, monitors
results and adapts strategies accordingly.

Subcriteria
19. All waste

separation

Indicators☐ Does your business have separate bins for organic andinorganic (plastics, glass, paper, etc.) waste throughout thefacility that are properly labelled and differentiated (e.g.,through colours)?

☐ Does your business encourage staff and guests to separate
waste accordingly?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

65

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

20. Plastic waste
separation☐ Does your business separate plastic waste into recyclable
and non-recyclable?

As discussed in the Food Waste Standard, measuring & monitoring is crucial for thebusiness to identify exactly what type of waste is being generated (and where/ which
department) and to be able to create and adapt strategies. In this sense, separating
waste is important to obtain more accurate results and, thus, make better decisions.
21. Operations
assessment☐ Does your business map out and measure the amount ofplastic waste generated in each type of operation (in theoffice, on tours, in events, in food handling, etc.?) to
understand where waste comes from and what
prevention strategies are needed?

☐ Does your business measure the quantity of plastics

purchased and the cost of these plastics (by department
and/or operation)?

22. Supply chain
assessment☐ If possible, does your business map the supply chain(transportation, accommodation, food & beverage,
activities providers, etc.) to understand where theplastics come from, and which suppliers tend to produce
and use the largest number of plastic items?

☐ Does your business gather data (if available) fromsuppliers on their current performance on plastic waste
reduction?

23. Baseline

assessment☐ After assessing the use of plastics in the operations andsupply chain, does your business compile (e.g., in a
tracking spreadsheet) the corresponding quantities andcosts of each type of plastic waste on a monthly or
annual basis?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

66

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

24. Setting goals
andmonitoring☐ After having obtained the baseline, does your businessset plastic waste reduction goals?

☐ Does your business monitor the results weekly or
fortnightly through plastic waste audits?

☐ Does your business revise and adapt strategies andstaff training depending on the success and failures ofcurrent efforts towards plastic waste reduction?

Tool

The guide 3 Steps to Reduce Plastic & Benefit Your Business provides
not only key information and tips (especially for restaurants andeateries) on how to reduce plastics, but also plastic measuring tools,
such as the Plastic Footprint Tool and the Foodware Cost Calculator,that measures a business’s potential costs savings and plastic
reduction.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

67

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD!

Hotel Waste Measurement Methodology. (2021). This methodology developed
by Greenview and WWF, with the participation of leading brands in the tourism
industry, such as Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG Hotels & Resorts and MarriottInternational, aims to provide a consistent framework for tourism andhospitality businesses to track waste and report progress against goals.
Although this methodology looks at all waste (including food waste, forexample), it can certainly be applied only to plastics.

Finally, the last criterion of the USING phase, Reusing Plastic Products, looks into
how the business can make the best use of those plastics that are unavoidable.
Despite all the efforts in finding plastic-free solutions and sustainable alternatives
to single-use plastics, certainly there will still be plastic products within yourbusiness’s operations, especially at the beginning of your journey towards plastic
waste reduction.
In this case, before disposing of these items, the business should first try to reuse
them as much as possible and make these plastics circulate between you and yoursuppliers, by creating a system in which you can give back containers for refill. This
strategy is part of the so-called reverse logistics.
Reverse logistics is a type of supply management that moves goods from thecustomers (in this case, your business) back to the sellers or manufacturers (yoursuppliers). Or, as put by the Circular Economy Practitioner Guide (2018), “reverse
logistics is the process of collecting and aggregating products, components ormaterials at the end-of-life for reuse, recycling and returns. Reverse logistics, also
referred to as “aftermarket supply chain,” closes the loop."In other words, it means taking the plastic
item that was going to be disposed of (thusat its end of life) and giving it back to the
supplier for reuse (such as by refilling). This isa circular economy practice because you
create a continuous loop between you andyour supplier.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

Purchase

SupplierYour business

Refill68

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Reusing Plastic Products

The business reuses plastic products whenever possible to minimise plastic waste.

Subcriteria
25. Reusing
plastic

products

Indicators☐ Does your staff reuse plastic products wheneverpossible (such as reusing plastic containers forstoring other items)?24☐ Does your business give back plastic containers to
suppliers for refill?

.

Case Study

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, provides
their suppliers with reusable hard plastic
baskets when supplying fresh produce
such as fruits and vegetables. This not
only minimises the spoilage of theseproducts during transportation but also
reduces significantly the amount ofplastic waste (as well as cardboard waste)
in their sourcing operations.

Finally, the last phase of our Plastic Waste Reduction standard is DISPOSING, andthe only criteria in this phase, Disposal of Plastic Waste, looks at three ways of
responsibly disposing of your plastic items.

For health and safety reasons, however, using containers to store food or other food/beverage
items is not recommended, as often the labels on the plastic containers are not changed to reflect
what is now in the container, which can cause accidents.
24

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

69

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

3.3.3 PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION CRITERIA –DISPOSING!
The first two subcriteria suggest finding partnerships
either for recycling or energy recovery. Before sending
the plastic waste for the municipality collection, yourbusiness can find collaboration with other businesses
and stakeholders to send out the plastic waste for
informal recycling, or organisations and/or industries
that will recycle or convert the waste into energy.
When these partnerships are not available/viable, the business should ensure theappropriate plastic waste separation (recyclables vs. non-recyclables) and discover,according to the municipality guidelines, what is the correct way to dispose of these
two types of plastics.

Disposal of Plastic Waste

The business ensures, to the best of its ability, appropriate end-of-life options whereplastics are permanently removed from nature by working with companies or industries
that reprocess plastic materials or that use plastic waste for other means.

Subcriteria
26. Partnerships forrecycling

Indicators☐ Does your business establish partnerships or

belong to a cluster of tourism stakeholders thatcollaborate with third-party companies andindustries that recycle plastic materials?

.

.

27. Partnerships forenergy recovery☐ Does your business collaborate with energy

28. Adequate disposal in☐ Does your business dispose of non-recyclable

landfillrecovery organisations that use non-recyclable
plastic waste as raw material and/or source ofenergy in industrial processes?

plastic materials in landfills that abide by all local
disposal standards and regulations?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

70

PART III: PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD

Case StudyIn the Philippines, Green Antz Builders, Inc. is an innovative social

enterprise that produces alternative construction materials, such as ecobricks, incorporating plastic waste. As mentioned on their website,
Green Antz’s goal is to find innovative ways to divert plastic
waste from landfills and upcycle to secondary uses: todemonstrate a new social, commercial & environmental

model that combines circular economy with social
elements and engineering ingenuity. So why not findsimilar organisations in your area to donate your plastic
waste so that it can be upcycled?

We have now concluded the Plastic Waste Reduction standard, having gone
through all the 7 criteria, 28 subcriteria and 69 indicators. As with the Food Waste
standard, do not feel that your business must comply with all these criteria rightaway. While some businesses strive for zero plastic waste, the costs of doing so might
be overwhelming for MSMEs, but it does not mean that these smaller businesses
cannot contribute to creating a more sustainable and plastic-free tourism industry.
Therefore, keep in mind that your main goal should be to reduce plastic waste asmuch as possible within the capacities of your business and the municipality.
Similarly to what was discussed on the Food Waste standard, we suggest startingwith the steps that are easier to implement first and engaging the necessary people
and stakeholders, such as your staff, senior management, the suppliers andmanufacturers as well as the customers/guests, in the fight against plastic waste.
Remember: by discussing together the challenges and opportunitiesof your specific context, you will more likely come up with efficient
strategies and maintain these in the long term.
Again, we hope that the standards, case studies, tools and resources presented here
helped you gain a deeper understanding of the plastic waste challenge and the bestsolutions to tackle it. For more guidance on how all tourism businesses can help
reduce plastic waste, see the Solution Tree on page 90 of the Appendices. Finally,
do not hesitate to contact us at ssr@pata.org for further guidance and support.

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

71

REFERENCESREFERENCES

Achterberg. E., Hinfelaar, J., & Bocken, N.
(2018). The Value Hill Business Model Tool:
Identifying Gaps and Opportunities in a
Circular Network. Available athttps://docplayer.net/86718304-The-value-hillbusiness-model-tool-identifying-gaps-andopportunities-in-a-circular-network.html
Circle Economy & Sustainable Finance Lab.
(2016). Master Circular Business Within the
Value Hill. Available athttps://hetgroenebrein.nl/wpcontent/uploads/2017/08/finance-white-paper20160923.pdf
Circular Economy Practitioner Guide. (2018).
Reverse Logistics. Available athttps://www.ceguide.org/Strategies-andexamples/Dispose/Reverse-logistics
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2021). Designing
Out Plastic Pollution. Available athttps://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/pl
astics/overview
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2022). What is a
Circular Economy?. Available athttps://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/ci
rcular-economy-introduction/overview
EXO Foundation. (2019). EXO Refillable
Bottles. Available atwww.youtube.com/watch?v=xaBELINcH7E&t=13
s
EXO Foundation. (2021). Refill My Bottle App.
Available at https://exofoundation.org/refillmy-bottle-app/
Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations (FAO). (2011). Global Food
Losses and Food Waste: Extent, Causes andPrevention. Available athttps://www.fao.org/3/mb060e/mb060e00.pdf
Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations (FAO). (2019). Food Loss andWaste Facts. Available atFood and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO). (2021). The State of Food Security
and Nutrition in the World 2021. Available athttps://www.fao.org/state-of-food-securitynutrition/en/

Futouris. (2021). How to Reduce Single-Use
Plastic: Guidance for Tourism Businesses.
Available at https://www.futouris.org/en/tools/
German International Cooperation (GIZ) Thailand.
(2020). Food Waste: How to Properly Manage
Waste in Thailand. Available at https://www.thaigerman-cooperation.info/en_US/food-waste-howto-properly-manage-waste-in-thailand/
Greenpeace. (2020). Industry Should Not Exploit
COVID-19 to Push More Plastic Pollution.
Available athttps://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/industry-should-not-exploit-covid-19-to-push-more-plasticpollution/
Greenview. (2018). Green Lodging Trends Report.
Available at https://greenview.sg/services/greenlodging-trends-report/

IUCN. (2020). National Guidance for Plastic
Pollution Hotspotting and Shaping Action: Final
Report for Thailand. Available athttps://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/content/docu
ments/thailand_finalreport_2020_compressed.pdf
Juvan, E. et al. (2021). Drivers of plate waste atbuffets: A comprehensive conceptual model
based on observational data and staff insights.
Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights,
2, 1000010.
Ocean Conservatory. (2017). Stemming the Tide:
Land-based Strategies for a Plastic-free Ocean.
Available at https://oceanconservancy.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/04/full-report-stemmingthe.pdf

https://www.fao.org/resources/infographics/inf
ographics-details/en/c/317265/

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

73

REFERENCES

One Planet. (2021). Global Tourism
Plastics Initiative. Tourism’s Plastic
Pollution Problem. Available athttps://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sites/default/files/fromcrm/GTPI%2520Brochure_Final_En.pdf

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). (2018).
PATA x Thai-SOS - The Food Waste Agenda in
Thailand.
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). (2019).
BUFFET Toolkit. Available athttps://www.datocms-

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
(2021). Our Planet is Drowning in Plastic
Pollution — it's time for change! Available athttps://www.unep.org/interactive/beat-plasticpollution/

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)& World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). (2021).
Rethinking Single-Use Plastic Products inTravel & Tourism: Impacts, Management
Practices and Recommendations. Available athttps://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.
11822/36324/RSUP.pdf

assets.com/11161/1557461889-buffet-toolkit18july.pdf

World Wildlife Fund (WWF). (2017). Hotel
Kitchen: Fighting Food Waste in Hotels.

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). (2020).
Plastic Free Toolkit for Tour Operators.
Available athttps://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f24290

kitchen-fighting-food-waste-in-hotels

Available athttps://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/hotel-

fd0d0910ecab2b02e/t/601d0015cbe7a12057dbd
e0d/1612513305647/PlasticFree-TourOperator2021-Feb2.pdf
Rujivanarom, P. (2021). Thailand’s Plastic
Waste Conundrum. Available athttps://th.boell.org/en/2021/10/26/thailandsplastic-waste-conundrum

Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. (2021).
Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality for thePlanet. Available at:https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/Pathwayoverview.pdf
United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP). (2021). In Bangkok, Tech Startups
Take on Food Waste. Available athttps://www.unep.org/news-andstories/story/bangkok-tech-startups-takefood-waste

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES74

APPENDICES
Food Waste Reduction Standard
SOURCING
Organisational Commitment
1. Organisational buy-in

2. Policy developmentx☐ Can managers and staff with roles related to food waste management explain the environmental and economic
benefits of food waste reduction?

.

and communication☐ Is your business committed to applying food waste prevention strategies?
☐ Does your business possess a sustainability policy that includes its commitment to sustainable food and waste
management in the mission statement, as well as throughout the organisational strategies?

☐ Is this policy communicated in the business's online platforms and throughout the facility?
3. Sustainable productdevelopment☐ Does your business, if applicable, design products and experiences for tourists (e.g., tours, excursions, activities)

4. Staff involvement andtraining☐ Does your business raise awareness of all the staff (and not only those who work directly with food preparation

with clear examples of preventing and reducing waste?

x

and serving) on the benefits of food waste management?

☐ Does your business provide staff training on best practices to prevent food waste, including presentations,
Q&As, off-site visits to composting sites and/or volunteering activities such as surplus food donation tocommunities?

.

.

5. Stakeholder
engagement☐ Does your business engage with other businesses and stakeholders (e.g., by forming working groups) to discussand share food waste reduction initiatives?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

75

Sustainable and Optimised Sourcing.

6. Committed suppliers☐ Does your business work with suppliers that are also committed to minimising food waste?

7. Local sourcing☐ Does your business prioritise local sourcing to reduce travel distance and likelihood of food spoilage?
☐ Does your business prioritise local sourcing to facilitate buying less but more often according to the demand?
☐ Does your business have a garden or farm to cultivate herbs, spices, vegetables, etc.?

8. Seasonal sourcing☐ Does your business purchase products that are in season for more effective production logistics (with less.

.

travel distance and spoilage)?

.

9. Optimised sourcing☐ Does your business monitor food usage, forecast consumer demand and take into consideration seasonality toadjust the frequency of purchases accordingly?

☐ Does your business avoid over-purchasing by ordering food just before it is to be used/when it is needed?
.

10. Single primarypurchaser☐ Does your business assign the role of stock ordering to a single primary purchaser to prevent over-ordering by

11. Supplier relationship☐ Does your business establish long-term relationships with suppliers to ensure quality consistency of goods anddifferent employees (if possible, given the size of the operation)?

.

avoid risks (spoilage)?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

76

☐ Does your business communicate with suppliers to ensure that the quality/ characteristic of products fits yourneeds (e.g., the correct sized vegetables, etc.)?

12. Streamlineddeliveries☐ Does your business streamline procedures for receiving deliveries (especially chilled) and transferring goods toappropriate storage to minimise food spoilage and associated costs?

☐ Does your business ensure that the products received have a long shelf life?
☐ Does your business ensure that the delivered products are free from contaminants?
☐ Does your business ensure that the products have been transported at the right temperature and with the rightpackaging to protect them from damage?

USING
Measuring and Monitoring.

13. Food waste mapping☐ Does your business map out and measure the amount of food waste generated in each step of food usage(spoilage of raw materials, preparation, overproduction food, plate scrapings, etc.) to understand where waste
comes from and what prevention strategies are needed?

☐ Does your business use a tracking sheet or app for food waste mapping and measuring?
14. Waste and foodwaste separation☐ Does your business have separate bins for organic and inorganic waste throughout the facility?
☐ In the kitchen, is the organic (food) waste further classified? For example, into reusable (such as meat leftovers
to make broths and stocks), for redistribution (such as healthy and safe surplus food to be donated),
compostable (such as vegetables and fruit peels and seeds), and unavoidable (such as bones, shells and oils)?

.
.

15. Inventory
management☐ Does your business have a “stock and order” form (or inventory) in food storage areas to keep track of amounts
of food items as they are used?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

77

16. Setting goals andmonitoring☐ After having obtained the baseline, does your business set food waste reduction goals?
☐ Does your business monitor the results weekly or fortnightly through waste audits?
☐ Does your business revise and adapt strategies and staff training depending on the success and failures ofcurrent efforts towards food waste reduction?

Responsible and Optimised Storage
17. Adequate storage☐ Does your staff handle storage carefully to avoid damage and spoilage by understanding how each food item
should be stored?

☐ Does your business assign one member of staff for checking fridge/freezer temperatures as well as room

conditions (enough ventilation, adequate temperature, lack of sun exposure, etc.) for minimising food spoilage?

.

.

18. Use-by labelling☐ Does your business ensure that all food items are labelled correctly with purchase date and use-by date?
☐ Does your business train staff on the differences in labelling (“best by,” “sell by,” “use by,” “freeze by,” “expireson”, etc.)?

19. Shelf-life extension☐ Does your business train staff on how to use items with the soonest expiration date first – FIFO (first in firstout) and FEFO (first expired first out) principles?

☐ Does your staff continually rotate stock by putting the newest product at the back of the shelf so that theoldest gets used first?

.

.

20. Optimised storage
options☐ Does your business use, whenever possible, optimised storage options, such as marinating meats andvegetables, sous vide, ozone food preservation, etc.?

Responsible Preparation and Service

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

78

.

21. Menu planning☐ Does your business frequently assess the popularity of dishes to adjust the menu and cut down dishes (andingredients) that are not being ordered or that are being left on the plates?

☐ Does your business control the number and diversity of dishes to avoid over-procurement of ingredients?
22. Recipe planning☐ Does your business use a software or app for recipe management that scales recipes according to guest
forecast to reduce unnecessary waste of ingredients?

.

23. Ingredient planning☐ Does your business add daily dishes to the menu (such as a "today's special") based on ingredients with close
expiration dates?

.
.

24. Over-trimming
avoidance.

25. Overproduction
avoidance

26. Buffet management☐ Does your business train staff to not over-trim fruits and vegetables during preparation and to, when possible,
leave the skins on (e.g., potatoes)?

☐ Does your business regularly conduct yield tests?
☐ Does your business avoid overproduction by monitoring guest forecasts, in both a la carte and buffet services,to prepare the amount of food accordingly?

☐ Does your staff use temperature-controlled vessels to preserve food quality?
☐ Does your staff monitor the amount of food displayed and only replenishes when demand dictates?
☐ Does your staff use smaller food containers and choses to replenish the buffet in less quantity but with more
frequency?

☐ Does your staff refrain from replenishing the buffet in the last quarter of service?
.

27. Portion control☐ Does your business minimise the quantity of bread, starters and condiments portions given to
customers/guests?

☐ Does your staff ask guests if they want refills of starters, condiments, etc. instead of serving them
automatically?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

79

☐ Does the menu include options of different portion sizes to fit various needs, e.g., S/M/L, or kid portions?
.

28. Service andpresentation☐ Does your staff present food creatively, such as by using the inedible parts of fruit/vegetable prep as garnishes
to decorate the plate and reduce the quantity of food served?

Guest Communication
29. Raising awareness☐ Does your business raise guests' awareness on the sustainability policy and food waste reduction efforts?

Does your business display signages on the buffet, menus and tables to encourage guests to minimise waste?

30. Responsible choices☐ When handling orders, does the staff ensure that guests are aware of portion sizes, food ingredients to which

they might be allergic, preferred cooking methods and choice of sides, to avoid that dishes are sent back to the
kitchen and to minimise plate scrapings?

☐ In buffets, are all dishes labelled with their name, category (vegan, vegetarian, gluten free) and ingredients
they contain to avoid too much experimentation?

☐ In buffets and menus, is there indication of which dishes are the most environmentally friendly (with lesscarbon footprint, such as plant-based?).

31. Getting feedback☐ Does your business provide feedback forms to guests to gain understanding on which dishes and/or ingredients
could be taken out of the menu?

Reusing.

32. Staff training☐ Does your business train staff on recovery strategies and encourage them to reuse food prep waste andleftovers whenever possible?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

80

33. Reuse of food prep
waste and leftovers☐ Whenever possible, does your staff utilise food prep waste and leftovers to make other dishes (such as usingbones and vegetable trimmings to make stock, or using leftover rice to make rice pudding, for example)?

☐ Whenever possible, does your staff utilise food prep waste for preparing other products for the facility (such asorange/lemon/lime peels for making detergents, for example)?

DISPOSING
Redistribution of food surpluses
34. Donation☐ Does your business redistribute food surpluses to staff and organisations in accordance with health and safety
regulations?

☐ Does your business engage local organisations and institutions that may have a need for quality surplus food(such as shelters)?

.

35. Other redistribution
schemes☐ Does your business have a reliable partner for food donation that helps redistribute quality surplus food?
☐ Does your business participate in food redistribution schemes, such as food sharing apps (e.g., Too Good to Go)?

Disposal of inedible food waste.

37. Animal feed

☐ Does your business collaborate with partners for donating inedible food to farms, zoos, animal feed suppliers,
etc.?

.

38. Composting☐ Does your business have a compost on site and use compost as fertiliser on its grounds, gardens, etc.?
☐ Does your business take compost to a local farm?
☐ Does your business arrange daily/weekly pickups with the municipality for organic waste?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

81

39. Anaerobic digestion☐ Does your business, if financially viable, invest in an anaerobic food digester, which transforms food waste into
environmentally safe water that can be released into the municipal sewage system (ORCA) or even energy?

.

.

40. Partnerships for
repurposing☐ Does your business establish partnerships or belong to a cluster of tourism stakeholders that collaborate withthird party companies and industries that repurpose food by-products?

Disposal of unavoidable food waste
41. Proper disposal ofunavoidable foodwaste

☐ Does your business abide by all local food disposal standards and regulations?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES82

FOOD WASTE SOLUTION TREE
Do you have a sustainability policy
and organisation-wide commitment& engagement towards waste reduction?

Yes

No

Does your business provide
or serve food to customers(including during a tour)?

This is the first necessary step
towards food waste reduction.
Take a look at Page 19 tocontinue.

Yes

No

Is your business
responsible for the
food preparation?

Do you workwith suppliers?

Yes

No

Do you have aprofessional
kitchen?

Your key areas of focus, inthis case, are:• Making sure your suppliers
are also committed toreducing food wasteYes
Is your business inthe position torequire suppliers tocommit to foodwaste reduction?

• Avoiding over-procurement
by forecasting the numberof customers and their foodconsumption

Yes

No

Most criteria
apply to you.
Please carefully
review all phasesof the Food
Waste Standards.

Some strategies
may not apply toyou (such as
biodigesters).
Review all
strategies but
considersubcriteria 10, 11, 12,
20, 22, 34, 35, 38
and 39 as optional.

No
Looks like you arealready fullycommitted toreducing foodwaste. Review
subcriteria 1-5 on
Pages 20-21 tosee how you canget even more
involved!

• Sourcing locally andseasonally as much as
possible• Storing food responsibly• Communicating foodwaste reduction efforts tocustomers• Disposing all food leftovers
or waste responsibly(preferably with strategiesof the subcriteria 34, 36
and 37 on Pages 38-40).

Yes
Great! Not only can you
help raise awarenessabout food waste
reduction, but alsoprioritise working withcommitted suppliers(Subcriterion 6 - Page 22).

No
You can still starta conversation
about it and raiseawareness. Focus
on subcriterion 5
on Page 21.

Plastic Waste Reduction Standard
SOURCING
Organisational Commitment
1. Organisational buy-in☐ Can managers and staff with roles related to plastic waste management explain the environmental andeconomic benefits of plastic waste reduction?

your business (including senior management) engaged and committed to applying plastic waste prevention☐ Isstrategies?

2. Policy development
and communication☐ Is your business part of any global movement (e.g., Global Tourism Plastics Initiative)?
☐ Does your business possess a sustainability policy that includes its commitment to plastic waste avoidance
and reduction in the mission statement, as well as throughout the organisational strategies?

☐ Is this policy communicated in the business's online platforms and throughout the facility?
.

3. Sustainable productdevelopment☐ Does your business, if applicable, design products and experiences for tourists (e.g., tours, excursions,

4. Supplier engagement
and awareness raising☐ Does your business choose to work, whenever possible, with suppliers that are also committed to reducing

activities) that are plastic waste-free from the start?

plastic waste in their operations and/or that are engaged in emissions reduction efforts/carbon offsetting
schemes?

☐ Does your business raise suppliers' awareness on ways to reduce or eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging(especially double packaging)?

☐ Does your business suggest best practices and plastic alternatives to suppliers?
☐ Does your business create incentives for suppliers to reduce plastics (such as promoting and marketing them,establishing partnerships and/or long-term contracts, etc.)?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

84

☐ Does your business negotiate with suppliers ways of sending back product packages for refill (such as bottles
of cleaning products, liquid soap, shampoo, etc.)?

☐ Does your business negotiate with suppliers a deposit system/return system for delivery packaging (e.g.,reusable crates, bottles, cool boxes)?

5. Staff involvement andtraining☐ Does your business raise awareness of all the staff (including tour guides, tour leaders, drivers, salespeople
etc. who have direct communication with customers) on the importance of plastic waste management?

☐ Does your business provide staff training on best practices to prevent plastic waste, including presentations,
Q&As, off-site visits to recycling sites and/or volunteering activities such as beach/river clean-ups?

.

6. Stakeholder
engagement☐ Does your business engage with other businesses and stakeholders (e.g., by forming working groups) to

7. Guest/customer
communication☐ Does your business communicate its sustainability efforts towards plastic waste reduction to customers anddiscuss and share plastic reduction initiatives?

guests through the website, social media as well as in the facility (through signages) to raise their awareness?

☐ Is the frontline staff able to communicate the business’s plastic reduction strategies to customers/guests andhelp them make more sustainable choices?

Avoiding All waste
8. Avoiding plastic waterbottles☐ Does your business reduce (or, ideally, eliminate) plastic water bottles by installing refill stations or water
fountains throughout the facility?

☐ Does your business provide reusable mugs and/or glasses for water drinking in these refill stations and water
fountains?

☐ Does your business provide (or sell) reusable water bottles to staff and guests?
☐ Does your business encourage guests to use reusable water bottles and refill stations by raising awareness on
the issue of plastic pollution and by ensuring them the water is safe for drinking?

☐ Does your business offer and recommend water from a refill station (or tap water when safe for drinking) to
guests when they order plastic water bottles?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

85

☐ Does your business ensure the sanitation and hygiene of the refill stations?
☐ Does the staff (especially tour guides) set the example to customers by having and using their own refillable
water bottle?

☐ In case of a hotel, does your business place reusable glass bottles filled with drinking water in each room (andencourage guests to ask staff to refill it whenever needed)?

9. Avoiding single-use
toiletries and sachets☐ Does your business use dispensers for liquid soap, shampoo, etc. instead of single use toiletries?
☐ Does your business use dispensers for sauce (such as ketchup, mayonnaise) instead of plastic sachets?
☐ Does your business provide sugar, salt and pepper in dispensers, shakers or paper sachets instead of plastic
ones?

☐ Does your business provide jams, honey and butter in dispensers, bowls, or jars instead of plastic preportioned packages?

☐ Does your business provide loose tea bags (or even loose tea leaves) in jars instead of single tea bag
wrappings?

.

10. Avoiding plastic film
wrap

☐ Does your business avoid and regularly monitor the usage of plastic film wrap and tin foil to cover food

11. Avoiding leaflets☐ Does your business choose digital communication and apps instead of having leaflets or laminated brochures?

12. Reducing Covid-19
single-use PPE☐ Does your business provide hand sanitiser dispensers throughout the facility?
☐ Does your business encourage the use of hand sanitisers instead of single use plastic gloves (in a buffet forleftovers or ingredients and set reduction goals?

.

example) if these are not mandatory by local regulations?

☐ Does your business encourage guests and staff to use reusable masks (e.g., selling reusable “branded”
masks)?

13. Avoiding plastic
packaging☐ Does your business prioritise purchasing products in bulk to reduce plastic packaging and waste?
☐ Does your business source locally to reduce travel distance and plastic packaging and waste?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

86

☐ Does your business prioritise purchasing products (such as fruits and vegetables) that come without
unnecessary plastic wrapping?

.

14. Avoiding bin bags

☐ Does your business avoid rubbish bin bags throughout the facility for dry materials (non-organic)?

Sourcing Reusable Products
15. Sourcing reusable
products☐ Does your business source long-lasting reusable dishware, plates, bowls and containers instead of plastic
ones?

☐ Do you purchase reusable cloths made from natural fibres?
☐ Does your business purchase reusable laundry bags made of cotton or linen?
☐ Does your business prioritise sourcing other types of reusable products over single-use ones wheneverapplicable and available?

Sourcing Appropriate Single-Use Products.

16. Understanding local
context☐ Does your business understand which materials are accepted by the local waste collection service for

17. Local sourcing☐ Does your business source products made with local materials to avoid purchasing plastic ones (such ascomposting, recovery and recycling?

banana leaves for food wrapping)?

☐ Does your business source products that can be recovered and recycled locally (i.e., that the municipality has
the infrastructure to collect and process)?

18. Sourcing sustainable
and appropriate singleuse products☐ Does your business prioritise sourcing single-use products that are either recyclable, biodegradable or thathave a high percentage of recycled plastic content?

☐ Does your business source sustainable and appropriate bin bags for organic waste (such as made of potato
starch, which can break down in landfills)?

☐ Does your business source sustainable and appropriate takeaway packaging?
FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

87

☐ Does your business source sustainable and appropriate straws and stirrers (such as made of paper, bamboo orsimilar)?

USING
Measuring and Monitoring
19. All waste separation☐ Does your business have separate bins for organic and inorganic (plastics, glass, paper, etc.) waste throughout
the facility that are properly labelled and differentiated (e.g., through colours)?

☐ Does your business encourage staff and guests to separate waste accordingly?
.

20. Plastic waste
separation☐ Does your business separate plastic waste into recyclable and non-recyclable?

21. Operations☐ Does your business map out and measure the amount of plastic waste generated in each type of operation (inassessment

the office, on tours, in events, in food handling, etc.?) to understand where waste comes from and what
prevention strategies are needed?

☐ Does your business measure the quantity of plastics purchased and the cost of these plastics (by department
and/or operation)?

22. Supply chain
assessment☐ If possible, does your business map the supply chain (transportation, accommodation, food & beverage,

activities providers, etc.) to understand where the plastics come from, and which suppliers tend to produce
and use the largest number of plastic items?

☐ Does your business gather data (if available) from suppliers on their current performance on plastic waste
reduction?

23. Baseline assessment☐ After assessing the use of plastics in the operations and supply chain, does your business compile (e.g., in a
tracking spreadsheet) the corresponding quantities and costs of each type of plastic waste on a monthly or
annual basis?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES

88

24. Setting goals andmonitoring☐ After having obtained the baseline, does your business set plastic waste reduction goals?
☐ Does your business monitor the results weekly or fortnightly through plastic waste audits?
☐ Does your business revise and adapt strategies and staff training depending on the success and failures ofcurrent efforts towards plastic waste reduction?

Reusing Plastic Products.

25. Reusing plastic
products☐ Does your staff reuse plastic products whenever possible (such as reusing plastic containers for storing otheritems)?

☐ Does your business give back plastic containers to suppliers for refill?
DISPOSING
Disposal of Plastic Waste
26. Partnerships forrecycling☐ Does your business establish partnerships or belongs to a cluster of tourism stakeholders that collaborate
with third party companies and industries that recycle plastic materials?

.

27. Partnerships forenergy recovery☐ Does your business collaborate with energy recovery organisations that use plastic waste as a raw material

28. Adequate disposal in
landfill☐ Does your business dispose of non-recyclable plastic materials in landfills that abide by all local disposal

and/or source of energy in industrial processes?

.

.

standards and regulations?

FOOD AND PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION STANDARD FOR TOURISM BUSINESSES89

PLASTIC WASTE SOLUTION TREE
Do you have a sustainability policy andorganisation-wide commitment& engagement towards plastic waste reduction?
Yes

No

Does your business provide
or serve food to customers(including during a tour)?

This is the first necessary
step to start reducing
plastic waste. Take a lookat Pages 49-52 tocontinue.

Yes

No

Does your business use
dispensers (for sauces, salt,
honey, etc.) instead of sachets?

Do you provide both customers and staff
with water refill stations or incentivise
drinking tap water?

Yes

No

Yes

Also make sure that in toilet facilities, soap
dispensers are provided instead ofindividually-wrapped soap bars.

See Pages 55-56 forfurther guidance.

No

Are you aware of thetypes of products andmaterials that can berecycled or composted
in your municipality?

Do you provide your customers withreusable plates, cutlery and cups?

See Pages 53-54
for strategies toreduce single-use
plastic waterbottles.

Yes

No

Yes

No

Let’s continue
with a few morequestions.

If reusable glass/ceramic
dishware is not viable foryour business (due to typeor location of activities), see
Page 61 for ways to identify
the most appropriate andsustainable single-use
materials for your business.

Do you prioritise
partnerships with suppliers
who are also committed toreducing plastic waste?

Understanding local contexts allows
you to make more informed sourcing
decisions. Contact the waste
management company in yourlocation to get this information.

Yes

No

This is very important, but also review: Avoiding All Waste(Page 53), Sourcing Reusable Products (Page 59) andSourcing Appropriate Single-Use Products (Page 61).
Do you regularly measure plastic waste, set reduction
targets and monitor results?

Yes

No

Do you know how to dispose of plastic materials responsibly?

Yes
Seems like your business is highly committed
to plastic waste reduction!

Reducing plastic packaging andpacking saves costs in thelong-run for your business andsuppliers. Raise awareness anddiscuss how to minimise waste
during sourcing andtransportation. See Pages 50-1
and 68 for more guidance.

Review Pages 65-67 for guidance on how
to measure and monitor plastic waste.

No
Please take another look at Page 70.

PATA PREMIER PARTNER

www.PATA.org

PATA PREMIER MEDIA PARTNER

HEAD OFFICE
Level 26 Unit A, Gaysorn Tower
127 Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini,
Pathumwan Bangkok 10330
Tel:+66 (0)2-017-5757
Email: membership@PATA.org

PATA STRATEGIC PARTNERSPATA CHINA
Beijing, China
Tel:+86 (0)10 6500-1397
Fax:+86 (0)10 6500-1497
Email: china@PATAchina.org
PATA PREFERRED PARTNERSPATA EUROPE, WEST ASIA,
AFRICA
London, UK
Tel:+44 (0)7932 074-978
Email: europe@PATA.org

MEDIA PARTNER

PATA ALLIANCE PARTNER

TM

PATA GOLD AWARDS SPONSOR

PATA.HQ
PATA_HQ
PATA_HQ