Small Plastic Hospitality Bottles

The Small Plastic Bottle Hospitality Personal Care Product Restrictions Law  took effect January 1, 2025.

Restrictions on Hotel Hospitality Personal Care Products in Plastic Containers

• A hotel, apartment hotel, motel, or boarding house must not provide any small plastic bottle containing less than 12 oz. of a hospitality personal care product.
• A hospitality personal care product is any product intended to be used on the human body for cleansing, conditioning, or moisturizing.

Effective Dates:

• January 1, 2025: For any hotel, apartment hotel, motel, or boarding house with 50 or more rooms
• January 1, 2026: For any hotel, apartment hotel, motel, or boarding house with less than 50 rooms

Alternatives to Small Plastic Bottles for Personal Care Products

The practice of hospitality properties providing small plastic hospitality bottles of personal care products in guest rooms and retail shops has proven wasteful in both natural resources and product. Many small plastic hospitality bottles of personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, moisturizers, and soaps/body wash, are often discarded. The reliance on these bottles and product has a substantial environmental footprint. Plastic bottles are resistant to degradation and last many years in a landfill. As plastic bottles deteriorate, they release micro and nano plastics that contain toxins and are resistant to breaking down in our eco-systems.

 Below are some initiatives to consider when making the transition from providing small plastic bottles for personal care products to guests: 

• Update guest room showers and vanities with refillable personal care product dispensers anchored to the walls or counter areas. This will reduce costs, minimize the use of materials and natural resources, and reduce plastics waste.
• Encourage guests to bring personal care products with them.
  • Update your property’s website to encourage potential guests to consider bringing their own personal care products
  • Offer a perk, reward, or discount upon check-in to guests taking advantage of that option
• Educate employees, vendors and other visitors.
  • Visible and clearly written signage at the property regarding the standard operating policy and practice is key to your plan success.
• Report goals and successes to employees, guests, vendors, event/conference participants, executive staff, and the community. 

Managing Residual Hospitality Personal Care Product Inventories:

• Donate to a charitable organization of your choice
• Seek other outlets via online searches for organizations that recycle and reuse hospitality bottles and product (such as Clean the World; Rock and Wrap It Up!)