Replacing single-use plastic bottles in Asia
During the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for
Development in 2017, Buffalo Tours recognized that the
tourism industry has a massive impact on the proliferation of plastic waste – in particular in Southeast Asia where recycling facilities and infrastructure are lacking.
Development in 2017, Buffalo Tours recognized that the
tourism industry has a massive impact on the proliferation of plastic waste – in particular in Southeast Asia where recycling facilities and infrastructure are lacking.
Background information
During the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for
Development in 2017, Buffalo Tours recognized that the
tourism industry has a massive impact on the proliferation of
plastic waste – in particular in Southeast Asia where recycling
facilities and infrastructure are lacking.
The challenge
To ensure the well-being and comfort of guests, tour
companies must supply travellers with safe, cool and
convenient drinking water. However, providing every guest
with several disposable water bottles on a daily basis quickly
amounts to an ecological disaster. Buffalo Tours has therefore
decided to offer guests the option of refilling reusable bottles
from coolers instead, with the following objectives:
 Reduce the amount of plastic waste sent to landfill;
 Ensure that water bottles are made from safe materials,
reducing the risk of harmful plastics or chemicals;
 Raise awareness of customers on environmental
protection using a branded reusable water bottle.
The strategy
A refillable water bottle is offered at the start of the trip.
Water to refill bottles is provided at hotel checkpoints for
multiday tours. Bottles are labelled with the client’s name
on it to help raise awareness, acceptance and individual
responsibility, while also educating travellers about the
environmental challenges caused by plastic waste. Any
excess plastic that is still generated by guests is disposed
through recycling centres.
To meet key concerns from agents and operators on
providing safe, cool and convenient drinking water, Buffalo
Tours has also developed a mobile water refill station. This
Reusable bottles. station keeps the sealed water tank cool for up to 4 days. © Buffalo Tours
Supported by:
based on a decision of the German Bundestag
For further information
https://www.buffalotours.com/responsible-travel-atbuffalo-tours/
Contact person: Malte Blas, Communications Consultant
malteblas@outlook.com
Lessons learned
Most travellers will only use refillable water bottles if the dispensed water is perceived to
be safe, cold, and convenient. It is therefore critical to alleviate travellers’ safety concerns.
In addition, as most agents are not keen to support additional costs, it is recommended to
provide such refillable water bottles free of charge.
Impacts
In 2017, over 200,000 disposable water bottles were eliminated.
The production of these bottles is equivalent to the emission of 17,800 Kg of CO2
1
.
For 2018, a reduction of over 1,000,000 bottles is targeted.
1 Source : Kauertz et al. (ifeu GmbH) – PET Ökobilanz 2010.
During the International Year for Sustainable Tourism for
Development in 2017, Buffalo Tours recognized that the
tourism industry has a massive impact on the proliferation of
plastic waste – in particular in Southeast Asia where recycling
facilities and infrastructure are lacking.
The challenge
To ensure the well-being and comfort of guests, tour
companies must supply travellers with safe, cool and
convenient drinking water. However, providing every guest
with several disposable water bottles on a daily basis quickly
amounts to an ecological disaster. Buffalo Tours has therefore
decided to offer guests the option of refilling reusable bottles
from coolers instead, with the following objectives:
 Reduce the amount of plastic waste sent to landfill;
 Ensure that water bottles are made from safe materials,
reducing the risk of harmful plastics or chemicals;
 Raise awareness of customers on environmental
protection using a branded reusable water bottle.
The strategy
A refillable water bottle is offered at the start of the trip.
Water to refill bottles is provided at hotel checkpoints for
multiday tours. Bottles are labelled with the client’s name
on it to help raise awareness, acceptance and individual
responsibility, while also educating travellers about the
environmental challenges caused by plastic waste. Any
excess plastic that is still generated by guests is disposed
through recycling centres.
To meet key concerns from agents and operators on
providing safe, cool and convenient drinking water, Buffalo
Tours has also developed a mobile water refill station. This
Reusable bottles. station keeps the sealed water tank cool for up to 4 days. © Buffalo Tours
Supported by:
based on a decision of the German Bundestag
For further information
https://www.buffalotours.com/responsible-travel-atbuffalo-tours/
Contact person: Malte Blas, Communications Consultant
malteblas@outlook.com
Lessons learned
Most travellers will only use refillable water bottles if the dispensed water is perceived to
be safe, cold, and convenient. It is therefore critical to alleviate travellers’ safety concerns.
In addition, as most agents are not keen to support additional costs, it is recommended to
provide such refillable water bottles free of charge.
Impacts
In 2017, over 200,000 disposable water bottles were eliminated.
The production of these bottles is equivalent to the emission of 17,800 Kg of CO2
1
.
For 2018, a reduction of over 1,000,000 bottles is targeted.
1 Source : Kauertz et al. (ifeu GmbH) – PET Ökobilanz 2010.
Supporting document(s)
replacing_single-use_plastic_bottles_in_asia.pdf
Download
