ABTA is launching new guidance to support travel companies to take a long-term strategic approach in tackling their use of plastics, as part of a wider approach to waste management.

The guidance, titled ‘Managing plastics: guidance for travel companies’, is available from today and has been developed to support those in the travel industry develop, plan and monitor their approach to plastic and waste.

Many travel companies are already taking action – from looking at their use of plastics to working on issues such as waste management and recycling in destination. The guidelines will support businesses to develop a long-term strategy, and avoid any unintended consequences of a new approach, by looking at possible actions and broader considerations, such as health and safety.

The guidance uses the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle framework and says that any strategy needs to look at ways to reduce plastic in the first place, move from single-use items to reusable items, encourage recycling or seek credible alternatives. It also provides a five-step process that travel companies can adopt, which is based on the approach outlined by ABTA’s sustainability programme, ‘Better Places’, and highlights examples of what businesses within the industry have done to tackle the use of plastics.

With the provisional agreement of a European Single-use Plastic Directive, which plans to ban single use items, set stricter rules on bottle recycling by 2025 and put reduction targets in place for drinks cups and food containers, the guidance also looks at how travel companies can respond to existing and future legislation.

Nikki White, ABTA Director of Destinations & Sustainability said:

“While businesses are clearly putting plans in place, we also know that travel companies want to develop a long-term strategy in tackling the use of plastics, and are keen to make sure they aren’t introducing an approach which could have unintended consequences.

Consideration needs to be given to all the impacts a product has – from manufacturing, transport, use and, finally, waste disposal. Reducing plastic waste can be a challenge, so it’s important to engage the support of those you work with to help you along the way.”

“ABTA’s new guidance will support travel businesses to develop a plastic waste strategy that takes these factors into account to ensure that all implications are considered. There are also other resources available to help businesses address plastic, including Travelife for accommodation, an international sustainability certification scheme, where its Members lead the way on waste reduction initiatives.”

The guidance will be free to ABTA Members via the Member Zone. Non-Members can purchase the guidance for £100 via the ABTA shop. Members can find existing support and advice across a range of sustainability issues, including plastics and waste management, in the ABTA Member Zone or by contacting sustainabletourism@abta.co.uk.

For travel companies looking for further guidance on how to implement sustainable approaches across their business, ABTA’s ‘Delivering Sustainable Travel’ seminar on 18 June offers practical and up to date guidance, as well as advice on addressing the key supply chain risks. For more information or to sign up please visit abta.com/events.

For further information, contact:

020 3117 0596 or press@abta.co.uk

Emily Jones, Media and PR Manager, 020 3117 0592

Out of Hours:  Contact the Duty Press Officer via 020 3693 0183

Web: www.abta.com

Twitter: @ABTAtravel

Notes to editors

ABTA has been a trusted travel brand for over 65 years. Our purpose is to help our Members to grow their businesses successfully and sustainably, and to help their customers travel with confidence.

The ABTA brand stands for support, protection and expertise. This means consumers have confidence in ABTA and a strong trust in ABTA Members. These qualities are core to us as they ensure that holidaymakers remain confident in the holiday products that they buy from our Members.

We help our Members and their customers navigate through today's changing travel landscape by raising standards in the industry; offering schemes of financial protection; providing an independent complaints resolution service should something go wrong; giving guidance on issues from sustainability to health and safety and by presenting a united voice to government to ensure the industry and the public get a fair deal.

ABTA has around 1,200 Members, with a combined annual UK turnover of £38 billion. For more details about what we do, what being an ABTA Member means and how we help the British public travel with confidence visit www.abta.com.