LAS VEGAS, July 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Venetian
Resort expands Sands ECO360 recycling efforts as the first
Las Vegas-based property, and one
of the first in the nation, to develop an innovative program to
recycle surgical face masks, which are being used by guests and
Team Members as part of the resort's Venetian
Clean initiatives.
As part of this pilot project, in partnership with TerraCycle,
the discarded masks are collected on-site at The Venetian Resort
and sent to a recycling facility where they are separated,
shredded and densified into a crumb-like raw material.
This material will be used to make repurposed products such as
composite lumber for shipping pallets, railroad ties and composite
decking.
"Our responsibility to the planet is one of our company's core
values," stated George Markantonis,
president and COO of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. "Our Sands
ECO360 global sustainability initiative was designed to help
minimize our environmental impact, and it reflects our vision as a
leader in sustainable resort operations. We continue our journey to
a more sustainable future as we seek innovative environmental
solutions."
"At TerraCycle, our mission has always been to eliminate waste,
recycle the unrecyclable and use our innovative business solutions
to minimize human impact on the planet," said TerraCycle Founder
and CEO Tom Szaky. "It's through
partnerships like the one we enjoy with The Venetian Resort that
allows us to fulfill our objective and help preserve the
environment for future generations."
Since re-opening in June, The Venetian Resort began diverting
discarded surgical face masks from other waste being sent to
landfills, through an industry-leading trash-sorting initiative
that takes place on property.
In addition to this program, the resort actively sorts its
trash, diverting 27 types of items that would otherwise be sent to
landfills. Through this program, between 55-60 percent of waste is
diverted from local landfills, a number that far surpasses the
national average of 32 percent, or the state average of 23
percent.
"As a company that has put sustainability in the forefront of
our operation, it was important to find a recycling solution for
this PPE, to avoid sending them to our landfills," continued
Markantonis.
This project, part of the company's Sands ECO360 initiative,
will help provide "proof of concept" for such recycling, to
encourage others to replicate the program. Currently, consumer
masks are not recycled through main-stream or curbside recycling
programs, due to the complexity of the recycling process.
Surgical face masks are made of a multitude of materials, and need
to be sorted and separated before recycling. In addition a
magnet is used to separate the metal nose strips, which can melted
and utilized in other recycled materials.
Sustainability at The Venetian Resort
Through the
Sands ECO360 global sustainability strategy, The Venetian Resort
leads the hospitality industry in a movement to actively minimize
the environmental impact of its resort operations on our planet.
Using a science-based approach, the strategy focuses on areas with
the greatest environmental impact and opportunity, each aligned
with a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal. Recent
highlights include:
- ENERGY: Las Vegas Sands and NV Energy recently
signed an agreement to source 100% renewable electricity for
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas, through Renewable Energy Credits
(RECs), annually taking approximately 225 million kWh "off the
grid," or the equivalent of almost 28,000 single-family
houses.
- ENERGY: U.S. Department of Energy recognized The
Venetian Resort Las Vegas for surpassing a 20 percent energy
reduction goal as a partner in the Better Buildings Challenge. In
the fall, it was reported that The Venetian had achieved a 24%
reduction in energy since the program began.
- FOOD/PROCUREMENT: To better understand its seafood
supply chain and increase its percentage of spend on sustainable
seafood, the resort has embarked on a multi-year project with
FishWise, a seafood sustainability consultant.
- WATER CONSERVATION: With the expansion of its innovative
nano-filtration system, the resort is able to purify and reuse
non-potable water for irrigation, fountains, and HVAC cooling tower
needs. Overall this system replaces 22 million gallons of
municipal water each year with non-potable water, allowing the
company to reduce its reliance on fresh water. Beginning in
August 2019, the property HVAC
cooling tower is now using filtered non-municipal water, saving
an additional 175 million gallons of water a year.
- WATER CONSERVATION: In 2020, Las Vegas Sands
officially launched The Drop by Drop Project, a new
collaborative water stewardship initiative that invests in regional
resiliency, ecosystem, technology and educational water projects.
The initiative will further incentivize conservation while helping
protect water supplies and watersheds in each of our regions.
- WASTE: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
announced that The Venetian is a U.S. Food Loss and Waste 2030
Champion. As a champion, the resort is joining an exclusive
list of American businesses and organizations in a pledge to reduce
food waste in our operations by 50 percent before the year
2030.
- DOUBLE HONOR: Las Vegas Sands was once again named to
the exclusive Climate Change A-List by CDP, an international
nonprofit environmental organization. This is the company's fifth
year in a row to attain a leadership position for Climate Change, a
distinction shared by only 2% of companies that have active
programs to disclose their global sustainability data. In addition,
Las Vegas Sands was again named to the exclusive Water
Conservation A-List by CDP. Further, we are one of 10
American companies to attain double A-List status. These CDP
lists are widely recognized as the gold standard for corporate
environmental transparency.
About The Venetian® Resort Las Vegas
The iconic Venetian Resort Las Vegas is comprised of three
all-suite towers: The Venetian, The Palazzo, and the Venezia.
The resort experience is marked by a commitment to sophisticated
play with world-class restaurants from celebrated chefs; Canyon
Ranch spa + fitness; a five-acre pool and garden deck; two casinos
and a poker room, and enviable retail options at Grand Canal
Shoppes. A premier events and conference center, the
resort is also home to more than 2.25 million square feet of
meeting and convention space, including The Venetian Resort
Congress Center and famed Sands Expo & Convention
Center.
Earlier this year the resort launched its Venetian
Clean Commitment, new cleanliness and operational
protocols that meet or exceed the resort's already rigorous
standards, a Venetian Clean document outlines
top-line changes available at Venetian.com/VenetianClean.
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas is a property of the world's
pre-eminent developer and operator of world-class integrated
resorts, Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS).
For more information, visit Venetian.com.
About TerraCycle®
TerraCycle is an innovative waste
management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste.
Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with
leading consumer product companies, retailers and cities to recycle
products and packages, from dirty diapers to cigarette butts, that
would otherwise end up being landfilled or incinerated. In
addition, TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies
to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic,
into their products and packaging. Its new division, Loop, is the
first shopping system that gives consumers a way to shop for their
favorite brands in durable, reusable packaging. TerraCycle has won
over 200 awards for sustainability and has donated over
$44 million to schools and charities
since its founding more than 15 years ago and was named #10 in
Fortune magazine's list of 52 companies Changing the World. To
learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling
programs, please visit www.terracycle.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Keith Salwoski
The
Venetian Resort Public Relations
publicrelations@sands.com
Image link (with images of Team Members wearing face masks):
https://lvsands.box.com/s/nfnh8ug1odhall43uj7wdl37ydi67fau
Sue Kauffman
TerraCycle
Public Relations
sue.kauffman@terracycle.com
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