From Waste to Wellness: Promoting Hygiene Practices through Recycling and Reuse of Soap Waste Generated from Hospitality Industry

The present study explores the Soap for Hope initiative, which collects and recycles discarded soap from hotels to provide hygiene resources to underserved communities. From April 2023 to March 2024, the program collected 12,367.87 kg of used soap from participating hotel groups, recycling 9,490 kg into 93,716 soap bars. A total of 83,202 bars were distributed, primarily in low-income areas, in conjunction with Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) awareness campaigns. These efforts align with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly the targets for improving sanitation and hygiene in vulnerable populations. The data highlights the contribution of major cities such as Delhi (44% of the total soap collection), Bangalore (20%), and Mumbai (16%), while smaller cities like Chennai and Goa provided more modest contributions. The program showcases the power of corporate social responsibility by the corporates and the hospitality industry by addressing environmental sustainability through waste reduction, and public health by improving hygiene access. Recycling soap not only diverts waste from landfills but also provides communities with a critical resource to prevent hygiene-related diseases. However, challenges remain in expanding participation to smaller hotel groups and cities and enhancing recycling efficiency. This study concludes that the Soap for Hope initiative represents a scalable model with significant benefits for both environmental sustainability and community health, offering a replicable framework for other regions and industries. Key words: Soap Recycling, WASH initiatives, Public Health, Environmental Sustainability, Hand Hygiene, Community Awareness