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Recently, the Fortune 500 company MGM Resorts announced that it will be phasing out the use of phenolic floral foam across all its properties. This is an exciting initiative that could mark the beginning of a significant shift, as an increasing number of hotels, restaurants, and corporate spaces seek to improve their sustainability efforts.

More and more brands are integrating sustainability into their business models. From Starbucks' straw-less lids to ExxonMobil's experimental biofuels, corporate boards and executives are eager to showcase their green credentials. However, in some cases, this push has resulted in greenwashing—where sustainability claims are more about marketing than meaningful change.

Businesses are responding to sustainability concerns because being green pays. Consumers are more loyal to companies they perceive as sustainable and ethical. This has led to tangible changes within some highly wasteful industries.

One particular sector adapting to the demand of conscientious consumers is the hospitality industry. Hotels face a significant material waste problem. A study on waste patterns in hotels and restaurants worldwide found that the tourism industry produces approximately 35 million tons of solid waste per year—a figure surpassed only by the construction, chemical, and mining sectors. While the type of waste varies depending on the business, hotels generate a high proportion of mixed waste that cannot be recycled or composted. As the flower industry works hard to address sustainability concerns, hotels like MGM should be celebrated for joining the ranks of businesses and organisations that have banned the use of phenolic foam—most notably the RHS, which has prohibited its use since 2021.

Phoam Labs' compostable floral Phoam is proud to contribute to this movement, not only through compostable products but also by partnering with organisations like Com:Post to divert more green waste to composting sites and help reduce the amount of harmful microplastics in our environment.

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Image Credit Coolcaesar

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