Hotels step up recycling

By Marian A. Maraya

Staff Reporter

Hotel Nikko Saipan, one among 10 hotels on Saipan that have pledged to promote proper waste disposal on the island, took steps yesterday to advance the cause by presenting 200 lbs. of recyclable materials collected from its own establishment over the last month.

The hotel management decided to enter into a partnership with recycling service providers KP Company Limited and Cruz Sanitation last July in efforts to help control the enormous amount of waste islanders produce daily.

Aside from Nikko, nine other hotels belonging to the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands have also joined forces with the same recycling companies.

Japan-based international group KP Limited Company, a new player in the recycling business, has secured the contracts of the 10 participating Saipan hotels in partnership with a local trash hauling company, Cruz Sanitation Services.

According to company president Kenji Ito, KP Limited has ventured into the recycling business to fulfill a self-imposed obligation: to clean the island.

“Majority of the tourists who come here are Japanese. So we feel a sense of responsibility to clean the island. That’s why we started the business,” said Mr. Ito.

The entrepreneur also disclosed his company is not likely to make money out of the new business undertaking.

“We may even stand to lose. But still, we think we have the responsibility to clean this island,” he added.

Hotel Nikko general manager Kazou Kinoshita echoed Mr. Ito’s views, citing three main reasons behind the hotel’s decision to intensify recycling practices.

He noted that aside from contributing to the local government’s island-wide recycling program and advocating less trash, Hotel Nikko also stands to gain compensation in lieu of the newly-imposed tipping fees.

Hotel Nikko Saipan administrative officer Ray C. Dela Cruz stressed the fresh move on the part of the company to step up recycling efforts is directed at protecting not only the local but the global environment as well.

“We’d like to see more than 200 lbs. of collected recyclable materials in the succeeding months. Maybe sometime in the near future we can gather as much as 100 lbs. per day,” said Mr. Dela Cruz.

Solid Waste Division Manager John Harder recognized certain setbacks to starting a recycling program.

“The first few months are a struggle. Maybe we’d run this thing about six months then we can start seeing its potentials,” said Mr. Harder.

He also commended the 10 Saipan hotels who have already initiated steps to take part in the program, expressing hopes that other hotels will eventually follow suit in the next few months.

“One of the great things about this effort is it really expands the awareness of the general public and other businesses and organizations. This is really just a start,” said Mr. Harder.