Clean the World Brings Its Hospitality Recycling Program to Dominican Republic

Recycled Hygiene Products Will Save Lives Around the World

Clean the World, a leader in global health, announces the opening of its newest recycling operations center located in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. In addition to three locations in North America, Clean the World has a presence in Europe, Asia, and now the Caribbean, with plans to continue expansion. Clean the World Recycling Operation Centers (ROC) are the hubs for the Hospitality Recycling Program. Recycled soap and bottled amenities from each Clean the World hotel partner journey to the closest ROC to be sorted, sanitized, and prepared for distribution.

The first hotel company in the Dominican Republic to adopt Clean the World’s Hospitality Recycling Program is Karisma Hotels & Resorts with its 2 properties: Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts and Sensatori Resort Punta Cana. With a combined 460 rooms on the ocean-side properties, in just a three month time period, the hotels have already diverted 255 pounds of waste from Dominican landfills, contributing to the creation of over 800 newly recycled bars of life-saving soap to be distributed within the country.

“We believe that Tourism Industry is the right answer for the Sustainable Development of many communities and destinations, and it requires a serious and long-lasting commitment from our company, in order to make Sustainability a strategic pillar of our operation,” said David A. Ortegón-Martínez Sustainability Director at Karisma Hotels & Resorts. “By working with Clean the World, we are making a positive impact on the health conditions of vulnerable communities in the Dominican Republic, a very important step for the sustainable development of this destination.”

With 39 additional resort properties in Punta Cana alone, the opportunity for hospitality recycling is great. To facilitate the Clean the World Hospitality Recycling Program, Clean the World has partnered with Ecoservices, a Dominican Republic-based environmental consulting company, to leverage existing logistics with local hotels. Together Clean the World and Ecoservices can create a greener, more sustainable future in the Dominican Republic.

 “Since 2010, Ecoservices has been the premier environmental sustainability company in the Dominican Republic providing sustainable solutions primarily in the tourism sector.  During that time, we have partnered with many organizations locally, regionally, and now internationally with Clean the World,” said Terry Wheat, Co-founder and Director of Operations at Ecoservice. “It is our great pleasure to be associated with such as strong partner whose presence is affecting the lives of literally millions across the planet through their efforts.”

This partnership will now allow both organizations to impact the entire Caribbean region in the coming months and years as Clean the World and Ecoservices combine strengths to improve the lives of those in need. Identifying and providing the assistance necessary to help at-risk communities with upcycled materials collected from the tourism industry, is a unique way of including everyone in the process.

Clean the World looks forward to growing its presence in the Dominican Republic. Since 2009, Clean the World Foundation has distributed 2.5 million bars of soap to children and families of Hispaniola, the island comprised of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. With a recycling center located in the heart of Punta Cana, those impact numbers will grow exponentially as soap distribution and hygiene education programs can now be administered on a local level around the Clean the World facility.

"Sustainability is a major focus for hotels," said Shawn Seipler, CEO and Founder of Clean the World. "By recycling soap and bottled amenities, Karisma Hotels & Resorts will divert an estimated 9,200 pounds from landfills in 2018.  This equates to roughly 28,000 bars of recycled soap each year that will go directly into the hands of children and their families in need.”

Clean the World Punta Cana will host a grand opening, ribbon-cutting event in coming weeks so please stay tuned for more information.

Find out how your property can help save lives by joining Clean the World’s Hospitality Recycling Program by contacting programs@cleantheworld.org.

About Clean the World

Clean the World is a social enterprise dedicated to the mission of saving millions of lives around the world while simultaneously diverting hotel waste from landfills. Clean the World operates soap recycling centers in Orlando, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, and Punta Cana and leads a "Global Hygiene Revolution" to distribute recycled soap and hygiene products from more than 5,000 hotel and resort partners. The organization benefits children and families in countries with a high pre-adolescent death rate due to acute respiratory infection (pneumonia) and diarrheal diseases (cholera) – which are two of the top killers of children under the age of five. Since 2009, more than 45 million bars of Clean the World soap have been distributed in over 127 countries. Clean the World has served over 10 million individuals through its soap distribution and hygiene education programs. In addition, Clean the World provides hygiene kits to relief organizations throughout North America. More information: CleantheWorld.org.

About Karisma Hotels & Resorts

Karisma Hotels & Resorts is a renowned leader in hospitality management, operating a premier collection of award-winning properties in some of the world's most desirable destinations, including Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Croatia, and Serbia. Widely known for its creative and innovative approach to hospitality management, Karisma is dedicated to providing exceptional services to third-party hotel owners and hotel asset managers. With a variety of guest experiences ranging from the groundbreaking Karisma Gourmet Inclusive® Experience featuring chef-prepared cuisine, beach butlers, and product innovations including private swim-up and infinity pool suites, to traditional all-inclusive properties, to à la carte EP hotels, the Karisma name ensures a quality experience.

The Karisma portfolio includes the adults-only El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels, family-friendly Azul Hotels and Generations Resorts, urban-chic Allure Hotels, Karisma Hotels Adriatic, and Hidden Beach Au Naturel Resort. Karisma properties have been honored with the industry's top accolades, including the AAA Four Diamond Award, Conde Nast Traveler's "Top 100 Hotels in the World" and "Gold List", Forbes' "Top 10 Most Romantic Hotels", TUI Travel PLC's "Hotel of the Year", and Wine Spectator's "Award of Excellence".

Supported by an extensive team of travel professionals that focus on hotel operation, business development, and financial services, Karisma is poised to continue its growth and expand its ability to create truly special vacation experiences for guests of all kinds.

About Ecoservices

Our company ECOSERVICES is the only company in the Dominican Republic certified jointly with ISO 9001 and 14001, in quality and environmental management member of the Altagracia Tourist Cluster and the Council of provincial development of the Ministry of Environment. 

Ecoservices was incorporated in 2010 but with more than 30 years of international development along with our Foundation www.Ecoturismoresponsable.org that promotes corporate social responsibility. Our organization has the experience, environmental permits, and technical teams along with highly trained personnel which collaborates with multiple entities.

We design customized programs for the sustainable development of companies and tourism sector in the Dominican Republic through solid and liquid waste management, recycling and final destination certification. Additionally, we provide environmental certification and auditing, renewable energies, biofuels, energy saving and production improvement strategies using green technology. All of our projects are focused on improving the care of the environment and human development in our community locally, regionally, and internationally.

For Clean the World:
Sandie Beauchamp
sbeauchamp@cleantheworld.org
407-574-8353

Source: Clean the World