The amount of waste produced at our properties is considerable and we recognize that achieving zero waste resorts will be challenging, but it is exactly this challenge that we have set for ourselves - to be a leader in the Circular Economy. This includes not sending residual waste that cannot be repurposed to landfills or for incineration without energy recovery.
Our Waste Footprint
Melco’s recent focus has been on identifying waste generation hot spots and opportunities and engaging our colleagues to achieve further reduction. We conducted comprehensive waste audits at City of Dreams, Studio City, Altira and City of Dreams Manila to identify both the types of and hotspots for waste generation. Each resort was then responsible for developing a Waste Reduction Action Plan to implement reduction and diversion opportunities based on the hotspots identified, with actions focused on reducing food waste, amenity kit and small toiletry bottle wastage, plastic reduction, and promoting recycling, among others. Priorities for reduction and diversion were calculated alongside estimated financial savings before being operationalized. We then engaged our Sustainability Champions to inspire colleagues through training and campaigns to achieve further reduction.
While waste generated across the Group increased by 19%, this was primarily due to the expansion of our operations in Macau and Manila that account for 99% of our total waste stream. Promisingly, 712 tonnes of waste was diverted from disposal through recycling and composting, an increase of 10% over 2018.
READ MORE IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
Removing 100% of SUP bottles provided in all colleague areas at our resorts was successfully achieved in 2019, saving approximately 244,000 bottles per year, equivalent to 3.5 tonnes of PET plastic per year.
Towards a Reduced Plastic Economy
We are the first hospitality and integrated resort operator, globally, to sign up to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. In developing roadmaps across our global operations to address the use of single-use plastic (SUP), we stand in support of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UN Environment Programme’s call for more businesses to commit to eliminating problematic packaging.
Being a signatory, we are committed to removing SUP bottles in all colleague and guest areas in our resorts and developing a roadmap to address packaging.
Reaching our ambitious goals requires focused efforts from our colleagues and cooperation from our guests. We have also made progress in having suppliers adopt more reusable packaging and reclaim and reuse any plastic they use with their deliveries. By weight, the majority of our branded plastic packaging has come from beverages served in SUP bottles. We have been adopting alternative solutions that not only eliminate the use of SUP across our operations but also enhance the guest experience.
READ MORE IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
Reducing Food Waste
With more than 115 restaurants, cafés and bars across our resorts, we are focused on reducing food waste, while inspiring others to up their game. From the waste audits we conducted, it was determined that food waste contributes to approximately half of the total waste we generate at each resort. To reduce food waste at the source we explored opportunities for leaner food production and improved demand forecasting in our production and commissary kitchens. The focus is to now trial Winnow AI technology to tackle food waste and operate more sustainable kitchens. Being the most advanced food waste measurement technology on the market, this initiative will allow us to maximize operational efficiency and data accuracy, with the ability to reduce food waste by up to 50% by value.
In Manila, we commissioned a decomposer to turn food waste into organic by-products that are reused as organic fertilizers in our onsite plant nursery, gardens and within other landscaping features, diminishing the need for chemical fertilizers.
For more details on how our individual properties are reducing food waste please see Melco Resorts Sustainability Report
Composting also plays a big part in our food waste reduction strategy. In 2019, food waste composted increased by 24% over the previous year. In Macau alone, we composted a total of 52 tonnes in 2019. In Manila, with our existing rooftop vermicomposter and new composting plant installed in October 2019, we generated 36 tonnes of compost in 2019.
Reusing & Recycling
Whatever waste we fall short of eliminating or reducing, we strive to reuse and recycle to close the loop and move towards a Circular Economy. The types of waste that are currently being recycled in our properties include coffee capsules, paper, aluminum cans, glass bottles, batteries, metal and used cooking oil. We will continue to work closely with local waste and recycling contractors to look for opportunities to recycle materials that are currently not readily recycled in local markets.
READ MORE IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
Water Use & Reuse
Water is a precious resource that we are committed to using responsibly. We conserve water in the first place and reuse water in our resorts’ water cycle wherever we can. Some key initiatives we have in place to conserve water resort-by-resort and tap-by-tap include:
All resorts have automatic sensors on all faucets and water-saving toilets and showers in hotel guest rooms
Extensive planting minimizes water loss through wind evaporation from pools and river features
A sophisticated filtration system for The House of Dancing Water show at City of Dreams treats and reuses pool water indefinitely
At Studio City Phase 2, a leak detection system exposes water leaks within the building and between the building and utilities’ water meters, enabling us to prevent water wastage
All resorts include a rainwater recovery system that stores rainwater for onsite irrigation
Treating and recycling greywater from guest room sinks, showers and baths for use as flushing water reduces freshwater consumption by more than 50% at Altira Macau
In City of Dreams Mediterranean, a high-tech ‘harvesting system’ will be installed to collect greywater to be treated and re-purposed for use in toilets and gardens
Training our colleagues to be vigilant in their water usage while cleaning guest rooms and public areas also makes a big difference
READ MORE IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
