Shanghai hotels told to stop providing free toothbrushes, combs as city looks to reduce waste
- Authorities say they will issue fines of up to US$725 if firms dole out any of six disposable items unless requested by a guest
- Move is part of a wider campaign to cut down on domestic and commercial waste in the east China metropolis
Hotels in Shanghai have been told they will be fined up to 5,000 yuan (US$725) for providing guests with disposable items like toothbrushes and combs unless they are specifically requested, as authorities in the east China metropolis launch their latest environmental campaign.
“Hotel operators … [must take] responsibility for the green, sustainable development of the city,” the local government said in a statement published over the weekend.
The measure is part of a citywide effort to reduce the amount of garbage produced by households and businesses, it said.
Under the new rule, which takes effect on July 1, hotels will be fined between 500 and 5,000 yuan for providing any of six disposable items – the four others being shower scrubs, razors, nail files and shoe brushes – as standard in guest bedrooms.
The fines would not apply, however, if a hotel provided any of the restricted items at the request of a guest, Gu Jianbin, the head of the market department under the municipal culture and tourism bureau, was quoted as saying in a report by Thepaper.cn.