Clean the World is Recycling Soap to Save Lives

A Hospitality Recycling Program With a Purpose

Each day, about 2.6 million bars of soap are thrown out by hotels in the United States. 

To keep this enormous amount of waste from going to the landfill, Clean the World partners with more than 5,000 hotels and 500 event partners to collect and recycle soap. The soap is sorted, processed and repackaged into hygiene kits that are sent to people living in poverty around the world.

Since 2009, Clean the World has distributed more than 41 million bars of soap to individuals in 118 countries. In total, 15.4 million pounds of waste has been diverted from landfills to combat common diseases like pneumonia in impoverished communities. 

“Currently, we have four options for our hygiene kits: standard, veterans’, children’s and women’s,” explains Sandie Beauchamp, Vice President of Marketing at Clean the World. “We are working on a disaster kit also. Recently, we were added as the 23rd NGO to join the United Nation WASH cluster. These disaster kits are being specially made to meet UN guidelines and will allow us to get life-saving hygiene supplies on the ground in the hardest hit areas quickly.” 

What’s In a Standard Hygiene Kit?

• Resealable Plastic Bag
• 2 Bars of Recycled Soap
• Bottles of Recycled Shampoo, Conditioner and Lotion
• Disposable Razor
• Toothbrush and Toothpaste
• Washcloth
• Inspirational Notecard

“We determine the best items in the kits based on the needs of the individuals receiving them. We gather this information based on the most requested items from our NGO partners and charity organizations. Each kit is made with careful consideration, and we are not afraid to adjust these based on needs.”
Sandie Beauchamp | VP Marketing, Products & Technology, Clean the World
 

How Shampoo, Conditioner and Soap is Recycled

The soap in Clean the World hygiene kits can be life-saving to many people, but only if it’s recycled properly. Clean the World’s soap recycling process has been tested and validated by SGS North America for safety and quality. 

Step 1: Soap is collected by hospitality partners and shipped to a recycling center. 

Step 2: Soap bars are surface cleaned by a machine to remove an outer layer. 

Step 3: Once surface cleaning is complete, the soap is mixed with a sterilization solution. 

Step 4: Sterilized soap is then sent through a grinder in mass quantities.

Step 5:  Ground soap is then pressed to form new bars that are ready to ship.

“A large portion of our bottled amenities are repurposed for hygiene kits. All eligible items that are at least 80 percent full are sanitized and set aside for these life-saving hygiene kits for individuals experiencing homelessness. The unused bottles are then recycled into plastic pellets that can be reused to create new products.”
Sandie Beauchamp | VP Marketing, Products & Technology, Clean the World
 

Getting Hotels on Board With Recycling

Increasing recycling rates is top of mind for many hotels and hospitality organizations, as they set sustainability goals that are important to today’s guests.  And personal hygiene products make up a significant portion of their waste streams. Collecting soap, shampoo and conditioner bottles for recycling with Clean the World improves both their waste audit reports and their recipients’ quality of life. 

“Hotels and hospitality groups are often surprised that we charge for our soap recycling program. However, this pricing includes a complete end-to-end program including all collection, shipping and implementation of the program. In addition, we provide impact reporting allowing our partners to truly measure the program. Soap saves lives, and our partners are making a significant step towards eradicating the top two killers of children worldwide.”
Sandie Beauchamp | VP Marketing, Products & Technology, Clean the World 
 

Not only does Clean the World focus on recycling soap, shampoo and conditioner, they’ve also invested in sustainable shipping methods. UPS offers carbon neutral shipments for Clean the World by purchasing carbon offset credits that fund eco-friendly projects – including a waste-to-energy plant in southern China. 

Growing Recycling Practices in the Hospitality Industry

In addition to a thriving soap recycling program, Clean the World partnered with Westin Hotels & Resorts to begin a textile upcycling program called Project Rise: ThreadForward. So far, the program has diverted more than 30,000 pounds of linen to be rewoven into children’s pajamas. 

This post is part of a series highlighting organizations working to improve their community. If you are in the Las Vegas area, learn about Clean the World’s operation and recycling centers near you.