Issue 06/2018

Report
Cruise entrepreneur switches
to biobased plastics
Biobased plastics are an essential element for plastic-free holidays
Plastic-free holidays on a cruise ship – this was the
vision that led cruise operator TUI Cruises (Kiel,
Germany) to launch their new plastics reduction
program WASTELESS.
Since its founding, the company has worked continuously
to minimize the amount of plastic waste it generates. For
example, all cabins on board have already been equipped
with glass water carafes that can be filled by guests at any
time using the water dispensers in the corridors. This saves
on disposable plastic bottles. Refillable dispensers for
shampoo and shower gel have been installed in the showers
in the cabins of all the new TUI Cruises ships, representing
a saving of some 380,000 disposable packs a year across
the fleet. Further initiatives include eliminating the plastic
wrapped terrycloth slippers provided to guests for use at
the pool or sauna: instead, these will now be conveniently
tucked into the pockets of the bathrobes, saving 250,000
plastic packages per year. The laundry bag for the collection
of dirty laundry will soon be made of biobased plastic based
on sugar cane and starch, yielding an imminent saving of
about 270,000 petroleum-based plastic bags. The impact in
the catering department will be even more impressive: the
first step will be the conversion of the coffee-to-go cups in
the crew area: the inner coating and lids will in future be
made of biobased plastic and no longer of petroleum-based
plastic.
But how is waste in general - and bioplastics, in particular
- treated on board cruise ships? bioplastics MAGAZINE spoke
with Friederike Grönemeyer, Communications Manager
of TUI-Cruises. “We relieve our passengers of the task
of separating waste,” said Friederike. “All garbage is
separated centrally in our garbage room and disposed of
responsibly.” She explained that glass is crushed, cans
and paper are pressed and prepared for disposal on land.
Organic (food) waste is crushed in a so-called pulper, dried
and also composted on land or, diluted with water, disposed
of outside the 12-mile zone in the sea. Some packaging
waste is prepared for recycling or is incinerated clean and
with energy recovery on board in an appropriate energy
plant.
Disposal ashore takes place not only in the home port of
Kiel, but also in larger port cities around the world. “We
make sure we have the right responsible partners there,”
she emphasised. There is always an environmental officer
on board for all these tasks.
“All in all, we achieve an overall recycling rate of 31%,”
says Friederike Grönemeyer.
By the end of 2020, plastic products and non-essential
disposable items will have been phased out and replaced
by renewably-sourced sustainable alternatives, both aboard
the current six ships of the Mein Schiff fleet and on land.
www.tuicruises.com
Info
See a video-clip
(German language) at:
tinyurl.com/tui-wasteless
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/18] Vol. 13 39