RECYCLED WASTE
Suntec Singapore’s initiative to recycle waste vegetable oil into biodiesel is a process many other corporations should consider, says EC3 Global’s Stewart Moore. “It’s an innovative approach to a problem that’s common to most operators of commercial kitchens.”
The convention centre can prepare 20,000 meals a day and produces approximately 8,000 litres of cooking oil waste annually. “Suntec’s answer is to partner with a recycler to convert the spent oil into biodiesel, which is then suitable for powering machinery or vehicles,” he says.
Suntec’s director of marketing and communications, Anjna Nihalani, says: “Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that is non-toxic and, when burned, produces no sulfur emissions, less carbon monoxide and fewer particulates and hydrocarbons compared to traditional petroleum diesel. The goal of our partnership with Alpha Biofuels is to end up with a product that is friendlier to the environment, thereby pulling the oil out of the waste stream.”
REGIONAL EFFORTS
Both the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre), use the three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) as the foundation of their company’s environmental efforts.
For the Centre, these efforts also include minimising pesticide use and a move towards biodegradable cleaning products. It also offers a complimentary cultural showcase, as part of its Conventions Value-Add programme, which includes batik-painting, pewter-smithing and basketweaving, to support local talent and promote it to international visitors.
The facility was awarded Green Globe benchmark status in 2007. “We participate in many industry forums and associations, including AIPC (the International Association of Congress Centres), who are consciously and actively addressing these issues in an industry sector,” says general manager Peter Brokenshire.
TCEB published its Green Meetings Guidelines in February 2009, which provide information to help planners eliminate, reduce or recycle waste from MICE events. So far 40 MICE industry players have joined the scheme as a demonstration of their commitment to the environment.
The guidelines were prepared by TCEB and the Thailand Environmental Institute (TEI) and based on an extensive Green Survey, which collected up-to-date information, particularly on innovative initiatives launched by regional MICE players.