IT’S RAINING PLASTIC
Plastic is everywhere: It is found in water, in the air, in the soil. It has even been found in the human placenta. On Henderson Island, an atoll between Chile and New Zealand, plastic objects from Russia, USA, Europe, South America, and China have been found.
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues as the production of disposable plastic products overwhelms our capacity to deal with it. Half of all plastic ever produced has been made in the last 15 years: production has increased from 2.3 million. Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans. Once in the sea, the waste is degraded into small particles less than half a centimetre wide. These microplastics break down further into smaller pieces, eventually entering city water systems or floating in the air.
Millions of animals are killed by plastics. They infiltrate into food chains, reaching humans and entering our bloodstream or lungs.
The real problem, however, besides the disproportionate production, is the false assumption that plastic can be recycled. Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, while 19% is incinerated and about 50% ends up in legal landfills. The remaining 22% is either dumped in illegal landfills, burned in the open, or dispersed in the environment.
The political agenda is addressing this urgency that concerns everyone by issuing specific measures. Plastic has revolutionised medicine with life-saving devices and much more. However, it has also led to a culture of ‘use and throw away’ that reveals its dark side: today, single-use plastics account for 40% of all the plastic produced.
For these reasons we should aim at improving waste management and recycling systems, avoiding its production. Among the various practices implemented by Lefay, there is the gradual elimination of plastic in the Resorts: all amenities in the suites are plastic-free and packaged in bags made from corn starch. Furthermore, the spa and bedroom slippers are made with bamboo and cotton models. Naturally, there are no plastic water bottles in the facilities. Finally, this year, personal care products available in the suites have been replaced with soap and detergent dispensers.
Great attention is also paid to raising awareness among our team members on this issue. These are gestures and practices that we plan to continue and integrate with initiatives aimed at progressively improving environmental performance, hoping that this commitment can become a common way of behaving in the interest of each and every one of us.
