China is becoming wary of disposable hotel supplies that cost about US$5.5 billion a year. As well as effecting the environment, the wastage also puts a strain on the country's finances.

The Market Daily reported Monday that the six-item list of hotel supplies, namely, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, slippers and combs, have become a signal of China's waste in the consumption of convenient consumables.

Similar wastage can be found in government-sponsored meetings and conferences held in hotels and convention centers throughout the country.

In Presidential Plaza Beijing, for example, a large-scale conference has been concluded with all complementary gifts and freebies left piling up in the meeting rooms: from plastic bags and ballpoint pens, to writing pads and water bottles.

One hotel worker told the Market Daily that a meeting catering for 200 would normally cost 4000 yuan (US$493) for the invitation cards alone, plus another 200 yuan (US$25) for meeting documents, paper cups, pencils, and hundreds of bottles of water that very few people finish. All of these are disposed of once the meeting is over.

The hotel attendant estimates that if a meeting of such a scale cost 5000 yuan (US$617), then China as a whole in one year would spend 4.6 billion yuan (US$ 568 million).

A staff member from China Tourism Association revealed that 10,000 star-rated hotels in the country would consume 1.2 million sets of disposable goods a year, amounting to 2.2 billion yuan (US$271 million).

His estimation tallies to a total of 44 billion yuan (5.5 billion) in the whole country, including all the six-item list of day-to-day necessities in star-rated hotels. What's more, this is probably a conservative estimate.

Such a waste of convenient consumables brings a disastrous blow to the forestry and woodlands of China. Experts estimate that China makes 45 billion pairs of chopsticks a year, chopping down 25 million trees and thus reducing the area of the country's forestry reserves by two million square meters.

Experts say China should learn from South Korea, who have banned such disposable items all over the country. In hotels, guests are expected to bring their own toothbrush and other daily necessities. If a guest insists on such items, then double the market price is charged for using the items at hotels.

Restaurants in South Korea have also banned convenient consumables like chopsticks, paper cups and meal boxes. Instead diners all use stainless bowls and cups. Shops do not provide bags for shoppers who should buy them for themselves for 100 Korean Won if they do not bring with them.

With 1.3 billion people and a rapidly growing economy, China has adopted a national policy of building a resources-saving society and aims at achieving sustainable growth in the process of modernization.

The State Development and Reform Commission, along with other central governmental organs have issued a draft code that calls for all Chinese citizens to make utmost efforts to save resources in offices and at home.

(CRI August 23, 2005)