How used hotel soap can save millions of lives around the world

Clean the World, the world’s largest social enterprise committed to collecting and recycling used hotel soaps to help fight the global spread of preventable diseases, launched its Global Hygiene Revolution in the region yesterday together with its first partner, Sands China, which houses some of the world’s largest integrated resorts at Cotai Strip Resorts. Between them, the Sands hotels have jointly collected almost two metric tons of used soap since June this year.

According to the World Health Organization, each day thousands of children around the world die from hygiene related illnesses that can be prevented by simply washing with a bar of soap. Through its many sustainability partnerships, Clean the World helps protect the environment by diverting waste from incinerators and landfills and repurposing the millions of bars of soap discarded daily.

Since its formation, the organization has diverted over 750 tons of waste, repurposing and distributing over 13 million sanitized bars of soap to 70 countries by engaging with partners across the community, including new hotels, environmental and logistics partners, and local charities who support those less fortunate.

“We’ve started a Global Hygiene Revolution and today we’re showing a powerful example of what we can accomplish together, as the efforts to save lives and protect the environment all start locally. Everything worth doing begins with simple actions and it is through the community that Clean the World has been able to succeed,” says Shailesh Adhav, Managing Director of Clean the World – Asia. “We have accomplished so much since our beginning and through our passion and shared commitment with our partners, we are working with great urgency to help those less fortunate in Hong Kong, Macao, and throughout the region.”

Commenting for Sands China, Mark McWhinnie, Senior Vice President of Operations of The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel and Sands Cotai Central said: “All of the team members at our hotel properties at Cotai Strip Resorts Macao and Sands Macao are proud to be involved with Clean the World through their simple steps of recycling bar soap, which align perfectly with our Sands ECO360° green initiative. By focusing on green tourism, our company’s partnership with Clean the World is evidence of the incredible things we can do together for the region.”

Other active hotel partners include Mandarin Oriental and Sofitel Luxury Hotels.

More information is available at www.cleantheworld.com.hk and a short video is on YouTube at the following link: http://youtu.be/v0z0UI68Abc

Clean the World Foundation Inc. is a social enterprise with the mission of saving millions of lives around the world and protecting our environment. Clean the World leads a global hygiene revolution to distribute recycled soap and hygiene products from more than 1,800 hospitality partners to children and families suffering from high death rates due to the top two killers of children worldwide – acute respiratory infection (pneumonia) and diarrheal diseases (cholera). Since 2009, Clean the World has distributed more than 13 million bars of soap into 70 countries. Clean the World’s operations in Hong Kong and Macao are established through a licensing and operational agreement with Clean the World Limited and Clean the World Company Limited, collectively known as “Clean the World – Asia.” The companies operate under the leadership of Shailesh Adhav, Managing Director, Clean the World – Asia.