ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Miniature toiletries are to be removed from all hotels run by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) - the first global hotel brand to make such a commitment.

The UK-based owner of Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza hotels has pledged to take the small plastic bottles out of its 843,000 rooms by 2021. This has already been achieved in around one-third of its estate.

Bulk dispensing systems are replacing individual plastic bottles.IHG chief executive Keith Barr said: "We collectively as an industry have to lead where governments are not necessarily giving the leadership to make a difference.

"Five years ago it was a tick-the-box exercise. Today it's follow-up meetings going through in detail what we are doing about our carbon footprint."

The move was welcomed by Greenpeace, with the environmental group's Fiona Nicholls saying: "Just as shoppers have shown they're happy to bring their own bags to supermarkets, hotel guests are absolutely able to adapt and start bringing their own toiletries."