Marriott Will Ditch All Plastic Straws by 2019

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Marriott International announced Wednesday that it plans to completely remove single-use plastic straws and stirrers from its more than 6,500 locations around the world by 2019.

The hotel group, which attracts more than 1 million guests every night, says it will eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws and about a quarter billion stirrers per year.

Ditching the plastic straws isn't Marriott's first move to increase its sustainability. By the end of this year, Marriott will replace small toiletry bottles in the guest bathrooms with larger, in-shower dispensers in more than 1,500 of its North American hotels. Outside the US, several Marriott properties like the Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort in Costa Rica and the Pancras Renaissance Hotel London have already eliminated plastic straws.

This initiative will take full effect at both managed and franchised properties, as well as Marriott corporate headquarters, by July 2019. That time will give its locations time to implement alternative products and deplete the current supply of single-use plastic straws.

Marriott isn't the first travel company to make strides in helping its customers reduce plastic waste. Earlier this month, both Starbucks and American Airlines announced plans to eliminate single-use plastics from their services. Similarly, Alaska Airlines said its flights and lounges will provide its customers with products made from eco-friendly materials like white birch and bamboo.