MGM China Holdings said it will stop using single-use plastics, such as straws and takeout containers, in all of its Macau restaurants from the first quarter of next year.
It says the items will be replaced by more environmentally friendly alternatives. MGM estimates that this initiative will remove more than 860,000 plastic straws and more than 470,000 plastic take-out containers a year from the environment.
Parent company, MGM Resorts International in July said single-use plastic straws will only be served upon request at its company-operated restaurants in the U.S.
At the same time, MGM is minimizing its food packaging to reduce packaging waste and alleviate the problem of waste disposal. The initiative has gained support and positive responses from customers thus far.
“As one of Macau’s largest integrated resorts with prominent presence, MGM is proud to be the pioneer in phasing out all single-use plastics,” said Grant Bowie, CEO and executive director of MGM China Holdings. “We hope to encourage more local businesses to join force with us and to increase the environmental awareness of our customers.”
Apart from the single-use plastics reduction program, MGM also encourages its team members to adopt waste reduction behaviors. For instance, food waste dewatering machines are added to the employee dining rooms at all MGM properties to reduce volume, weight and nasty odors of food waste, which can help alleviate the burden on land transport and incinerators. Furthermore, food waste in the employee dining rooms is being processed into organic fertilizer for the gardens in the properties.
