AIR POLLUTION THROUGH HOTEL OPERATION

AIR POLLUTION THROUGH HOTEL OPERATION

What are lodging properties and why should they reduce air pollution?

1.     The hospitality industry encompasses a wide range of services and activities such as lodging, restaurants, food services, and convention centers.

2.     The lodging sector consists of hotels, motels, resorts, and bed and breakfasts.

Maintenance and operations activities within the lodging sector may release pollutants into the air and may contribute to health concerns at lodging properties and in the community.

What are the health effects of air pollutants that come from lodging properties?

1.     Lodging properties emit pollutants such as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). These pollutants can contribute to health problems that may affect employees, guests, and the community.

2.     Cleaning supplies, synthetic materials, paints, and pesticides can release HAPs and VOC.

3.     ODSs such as chlorofluorocarbons may be released by improperly maintained heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units, refrigeration units, and fire extinguishers.

How can lodging properties reduce air pollution?

Changing Cleaners

1.     Choose non-toxic products such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon oil.

2.     Purchase cleaners with less than 10% VOC by weight and those that have low HAP content.

3.     Choose pump-style sprays instead of aerosols. These sprays emit fewer HAPs.

4.     Increase cleaning power of low toxic substances by combining,

Modifying Building Maintenance Practices

1.     Use water-based, or other less toxic paints and coatings to maintain floors and walls.

2.     Reduce the amount of refinishing needed for hardwood floors by regularly inspecting floors to determine where the most wear occurs. Refinish only those portions.

3.     If possible, use indoor furniture made of wood instead of pressed wood products. If that isn't possible, then use pressed wood products that contain phenol resin instead of urea resin, which is more toxic.

Controlling Emissions of HAPs and ODSs

1.     Limit idling of tour buses around HVAC intake vents and entrances to prevent high concentrations of diesel vapors from entering the building.

2.     Use "good housekeeping" measures, such as checking for leaks in piping, to avoid loss of ODSs during HVAC unit and refrigeration equipment maintenance and operation.

3.     Recover and reuse ozone-depleting substances after dismantling HVAC and refrigeration equipment for service.

4.     Retrofit existing HVAC and refrigeration units to avoid leakage and loss of existing ODSs.

5.     Phase out chemicals that deplete the ozone by retrofitting HVAC units and refrigeration units to use chemicals with low or zero ODS content. There are financial benefits to phasing out these chemicals that help offset the expense of retrofitting. The cost savings will result from the prevention of chemical leakages and from the improved energy efficiency offered by many of the newer, zero-ODSs and units.

6.     At the end of equipment service life, replace with new and more efficient equipment that does not use ODSs.

Reducing ODS Emissions from Fire Extinguishers

·         At the end of its service life, replace halon-containing fire extinguishers with alternative, non-halon equipment.

·         Inspect halon-containing fire extinguishers frequently for leaks. Repair or replace if leaks are discovered.