Over the years I have written about various alternatives to plastic bottled water. Some are as simple as water filtration/dispensing systems. These systems have become quite common in our industry. Other systems are rarer and more complex. For example, last year Accor announced that it is partnering with SOURCE Global, PBC to bring reusable glass bottled drinking water—water from the air—to key hotels in Singapore. Unique to this water is that it is made by SOURCE Hydropanels—a ground-breaking solar-powered technology that harvests the pure, endlessly renewable water vapor in the air and transforms it into premium drinking water.
In April I reported on the AAHOA Convention & Trade Show and the Boomerang Bottling System that I discovered there. I recently chatted with John Notte, V.P. of Sales for Boomerang Water, to learn more about the system that is already in use at properties including the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (Hawaii), The Boca Raton (Florida), and The Statler Hotel at Cornell University (Ithaca, N.Y.)
The Boomerang Bottling System is quite unique and about the size of an ice machine. It sanitizes either reusable glass or aluminum bottles, filters the water going into the bottles, fills the bottles, and then caps each bottle. The system requires a new cap on every filled bottle. A Nanotrite filtration system removes toxins, heavy metals, and microplastics during refilling while allowing natural minerals and electrolytes to pass through.
Skill level to run the machine is comparable to that of a skilled back-of-house dishwasher or food prep person. Boomerang Water recommends having two to three bottling technicians.
Up to Thousands of Bottles of Water Daily
The Boomerang Bottling System can fill up to 400 reusable bottles an hour. One person operating the machine can refill over 3,000 bottles a day. When asked what size property the system is best for, Notte told me that if your primary goal is sustainability, the Boomerang Bottling System is a perfect fit. “Optimally, it is a good fit for properties using between 500 to 700 bottles of water a day—a property with golf, rooms, retail, pool and spa,” he says.
The Boomerang Bottling System can fill either glass or aluminum bottles. Water bottles can be made available in vending machines or elsewhere throughout the property. Bottles can be custom designed with the property’s logo. “Our in-house digital printing capabilities allow for full-color, 360-degree photorealistic graphics directly on Boomerang’s returnable aluminum or glass bottles,” Notte says.
How is the system working so far? At the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, 910,000 plastic bottles were diverted from landfills and waterways in one year. At The Boca Raton, 419,750 plastic bottles were diverted in a year.
Your Solution Need Not be Complex
While a system like the Boomerang Bottling System may not be a fit for every size property, it is certainly a reminder that you need to do what you can to eliminate single-use plastic water bottles from your property. The solution need not be complex. Making reusable water bottles and bottle refill stations available are certainly two easy steps you can take.
According to the Container Recycling Institute, 86 percent of plastic water bottles end up in landfills or polluting our waterways. Thirty-eight billion disposable water bottles are added to U.S. landfills each year. Every year, plastic bottle waste kills over 1 million seabirds and over 100,000 mammals.
What steps have you taken to eliminate plastic water bottles from your property? I would love to know. I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Green Lodging News Add Commercial Green Solutions to Product Directory
Green Lodging News has added Commercial Green Solutions to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Consultants/Energy Management” category. Commercial Green Solutions provides an innovative approach to energy efficiency by functioning as a utility program accelerator. Its goal is to reduce clients’ operational expenses, minimize carbon footprint and find creative ways to contribute to profitability and sustainability. The company’s solutions include utility program implementation, PTAC/PTHP services (cleanings and replacements), ASHRAE Level 1 audits, HVAC cleanings/tune-ups, smart thermostats and EMS, full lighting retrofits, water efficiency programs, energy procurement and more. Call (202) 257-1876, or e-mail KennyW@commercialgreensolutions.com for more details.
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