Disposing items at a hotel is not as simple as providing a dumpster for your housekeeping staff, maintenance team, and hotel guests to use for their disposal needs. You need to adhere to the guidelines associated with hazardous waste disposal and there are many items that may constitute as hazardous waste. If your housekeepers are using chemical products to clean with or if a guest thinks that they have free reign to throw away used batteries, computer printing equipment, or automotive fluids, you could be deemed noncompliant and at risk of being fined.

Waste May Be A Threat To Land, Structures, And Living Beings

Liquid solvents, lead-based paint, and battery acid could all seep into the ground and have an impact on your property, water supply, or air quality. Some products are deemed as unsafe because they are highly flammable. Others could pose a risk if a human or an animal were to come directly into contact with the waste items.

If you consider yourself environmentally conscious and are concerned about the future of the environment, you are not doing your part to protect the land, your staff members, or your guests, if you turn a blind eye to what is being tossed into waste receptacles or a dumpster.

The dumpster rental owner will supply you with a list of acceptable and unacceptable waste items, that can be placed inside of a standard waste container. Use this list to compare against the typical waste items that are disposed of at the hotel, to determine if changes with your disposal method need to be implemented.

Ecofriendly Alternatives Can Reduce Issues

If you have ever dealt with complaints about the fumes that were emitted by a harsh cleaning product or if you happened to observe a maintenance employee dumping liquid waste into the dumpster and you were fairly certain that the product could be classified as 'hazardous', you are merely observing various facets of your business operations that could land you in hot water or cause some of your guests or staff members to complain.

Go over the list of standard products that your staff members use, to upkeep the hotel, and choose eco-friendly alternatives, to reduce hazardous waste consumption. If there is a product that you will need to continue using and it is classified as hazardous, learn about your county's disposal requirements. You can either transport hazardous waste to a facility that accepts potentially dangerous waste items or you can request to have the hazardous items picked up from your establishment.

Circulating Information Will Assist

After being briefed about what constitutes as hazardous waste, do not assume that your employees or guests will be savvy to the same information. Circulate flyers that will inform your staff members about any changes you are implementing, concerning the use of toxic products and the disposal of waste items. Hang signs at your hotel, which forbid your guests from throwing items away that could be potentially dangerous.