World Environment Day 2025 Addresses Reliance on Plastics, A Priority at Sands’ Global Resorts

Today the United Nations (UN) observes World Environment Day. Established in 1972, the observance focuses on a different environmental challenge each year and promotes actions for mitigation. World Environment Day 2025 calls for collective action to tackle plastic pollution, a pressing environmental issue.

The UN estimates that 400 million tons of plastic waste were generated globally last year, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development assessed that only 9% of plastic items are actually recycled. The UN also notes the problem presented by single-use plastics, which have become part of daily life and represent one of the most prevalent forms of waste.

Reducing reliance on plastics and packaging is a component of Sands’ effort to incorporate environmentally friendly materials and resources into its business operations, one of the key topics addressed by the Sands ECO360 global sustainability program.

Led by Sands ECO360, Sands was recently named one of Newsweek’s World’s Greenest Companies 2025, which recognizes the top 750 publicly listed companies across 26 countries for

their environmental sustainability performance. The ranking analyzed 8,000 companies in the areas of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water usage, waste generation, and sustainability data disclosure and commitments.

“Recognition for our environmental initiatives is always gratifying, but we don’t infer that our work is ever done – especially in the area of addressing such a ubiquitous product as plastic,” Katarina Tesarova, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, said. “We are committed to diligently pursuing ongoing analysis of our practices, alternative solutions for plastic products, and collaboration with our Team Members and partners to drive progress on this critical environmental issue.”

Sands pursues a number of strategies to reduce plastic use at its resorts and in business operations, with globally coordinated plans and solutions for replacing plastic products with more sustainable options. One of the company’s primary initiatives is to reduce single-use plastics by transitioning Sands-branded water bottles to reusable or sustainable solutions by 2025. Marina Bay Sands was the company’s first resort to achieve 100% sustainable solutions for branded water bottles in 2023.

In Macao, Sands China resorts now use 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) water bottles in hotel rooms, and the company continues to address plastic water bottle reliance in its casinos, which use smaller products. Resources for replacing the smaller casino bottles have been a challenge, but the company continues to look for alternatives in that environment as well as test applications in all areas of the resort to reach and maintain 100% reusable or sustainable solutions for branded plastic bottles before the end of 2025.

For example, Sands China conducted filtered water system trials at The Londoner Macao’s food and beverage outlets, increasing filtered water use from 35% in 2023 to 72% in 2024, and has begun testing these systems in other Macao properties.

Other water bottle replacement projects have included a water dispenser trial in The Venetian Macao casino, installation of water dispensers in the resort’s meeting and convention center banquet area, and incorporation of filtered water systems in various departments.

Through efforts to date in all regions, Sands has transitioned 62% of Sands-branded water bottles globally to sustainable alternatives.

In other initiatives to address plastic reduction, Marina Bay Sands set a goal to eliminate plastic cling wrap in its kitchens, targeting 19,000 rolls that were used and then discarded in waste streams annually. With this target identified in 2023, the resort began work to understand usage patterns in food preparation, food transport and storage.

Analysis showed that elimination would require alternative processes and solutions, as well as behavior change. Using these insights, Marina Bay Sands began a phased approach to eliminate plastic wrap, focusing on the RISE Restaurant and in-room dining in 2024.

Through a combination of new processes and Team Member education, RISE reduced plastic wrap use by 60% last year, and the team is using this success to drive change in other property kitchens. The next phase is focusing on reviewing equipment needs in targeted kitchens and setting up monthly scorecards to track plastic wrap purchases and use.

Other plastic-reduction projects in Sands’ regions have included replacing single-use bathroom amenity bottles with bulk products at The Venetian Macao, Sands Macao, The Parisian Macao and The Londoner Macao in 2024. As a result, plastic use is expected to decrease by more than 50%. Marina Bay Sands began testing reusable cups in entertainment venues, which are significant plastic waste producers with 33,000 beverages sold in 2023. The resort is gathering learnings and exploring and long-term options.

To learn more about the company’s work to reduce reliance on plastic and packaging, as well as other environmental initiatives, read the latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/.