Hospitality professionals know the importance of complying with all the legal regulations in force in Spain in order to operate within the framework of the law. These laws include environmental regulations for the hotel and catering industry.
However, if you are not very clear about what Spanish environmental legislation requires and the risks involved in not complying with it, today we will answer your questions. In this article we will explain the requirements that your hotel must comply with in environmental matters to avoid penalties or even the unfortunate closure of your establishment.
Furthermore, with this post on environmental legislation in the hotel and catering industry, you will be convinced that implementing ecological changes in your hotel business has many benefits for both your economy and the environment.
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Environmental legislation in the hospitality industry: relevant regulations
In Spain there are environmental standards that regulate the operation of hospitality businesses. These aim to reduce the impact that the daily management of these businesses can have on the environment.
Below we will discuss each of the most relevant legal provisions on environmental issues for the hotel and catering industry:
Law 21/2013, of 9 December, on Environmental Assessment
It establishes the sole competence of the state on the basic legislative matter in environmental protection. It stipulates which sustainability criteria must be taken into account when assessing environmental projects.
It also governs which decisions are to be taken, according to the results of the assessments of plans and programmes.
Law 26/2007, of 23 October 2007, on Environmental Liability
This law regulates the obligation of any entity to compensate for any damage it has caused to nature. Regardless of the economic activity carried out by the same. This law applies to the terrestrial, aquatic and aerial environments.
Law 41/2010 on the Protection of the Marine Environment
Standardises the actions that must be taken in order not to pollute territorial waters. This law is of vital compliance for all hotel and catering businesses located in coastal areas.
Royal Legislative Decree 1/2001, of 20 July, Water Law
This decree clearly establishes the conditions for the public use of water to avoid waste and pollution. It also establishes the competences of the State over the domain of this valuable resource.
Royal Decree 876/2014, General Coastal Regulation
This decree regulates the activities for the protection of the coastline as well as the requirements that must be fulfilled for its occupation. Important law for tourist hotels established in these areas.
Law 34/2007, of 15 November, on Air Quality
Establishes in articles 10 and 12, the competence of the Autonomous Communities and local entities regarding air quality. These governmental bodies will be responsible for the frequent assessment of air quality in the corresponding territorial area.
Royal Decree 238/2013
This decree stipulates that annual Indoor Environmental Quality reviews are mandatory. It must be carried out in corporate buildings, shopping centres, hotels and in all those infrastructures that require installations with more than 70 KW of power.
New UNE 171350/2016 CAI Standard
The Spanish Association for Standardisation and Certification (AENOR), establishes in this new standard the steps to follow to assess the quality and environmental health of hotels in their interiors. This new standard is very specific in terms of the requirements and guidelines that must be met to ensure the health of customers and thus successfully pass the audits
Law 1/2005, 9 March, on Greenhouse Gases
It regulates the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme. This law transposes Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003.
Waste and Contaminated Soil Act
It sets out all the necessary measures that must be taken before a product becomes waste. It also includes the hierarchical principles in the production and management of waste. I.e. prevention, preparation for reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery.
International Certification Standard ISO 14001
In Spain, like many other countries in the world, it is important to obtain this certificate created by the International Organisation for Standardisation. And although the authorities do not really demand it as a requirement for the operation of businesses, having this accredited certification would give your business a competitive advantage over those that do not.
Benefits of complying with environmental protection laws in your hospitality business
Of course, the first benefit of complying with environmental legislation in the hospitality industry is to avoid fines or closures, but there are many other benefits. Any hospitality company that takes on the implementation of environmental management practices in the hospitality industry will see how advantageous these changes are for their business.
These benefits include:
#1 Cost reduction
Due to the efficient use of resources such as water, electricity and fuel, you will achieve significant cost reductions for these resources. You will achieve this with simple changes such as the following:
- Turning off lights and disconnecting heating or cooling equipment in spaces that are not being used.
- Adjust the thermostat temperature of water heaters to avoid wasting electricity and water.
- Use appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines at full load to save water, energy and detergent.
- Install timer taps in bathrooms to avoid unnecessary water use.
- Perform maintenance to avoid leaks and waste fumes in heating oil storage tanks.
#2. Increased cost-effectiveness
Logically, by reducing energy costs and emissions and other costs, the profitability of your business will increase proportionally.
#3 Improved business image
Following these green practices will improve your business image with regulators and government. You will be demonstrating your commitment to the environment and your responsibility to comply with environmental legislation in the hospitality industry.
In addition, you will improve your image in the eyes of customers and the general public. This is important, as the number of people who are informed and committed to caring for the environment is increasing.
To further enhance this image, you can choose to include among your disposable catering supplies those made from 100% plant-based materials such as paper bags, cardboard cups or sugar cane bowls.
#4 Add new customers
If your business management shows that you care about the environment, it can bring in new customers. As we stated in the previous paragraph, more and more customers prefer places that do their duty to take care of the environment.
Environmental management plan for the hotel and catering industry
The best way to comply with all the legal requirements regarding the environment is to draw up an environmental management plan for the hotel and catering industry . In this plan, you should record the actions you will take to prevent or mitigate possible damage that your business may cause to the environment.
If you do not have the necessary knowledge to make an environmental management plan for your hotel, you can seek professional advice. To give you an idea, environmental management plans are generally structured in four main phases:
- Planning: This is the initiation stage, in which you must determine through a diagnosis, what is the real situation in which your business finds itself in relation to the environment.
- Implementation: In this stage, you will assess that the activities to be carried out are the right ones and that you also have all the necessary resources to carry them out.
- Verification: This is the phase in which your environmental management plan must be reviewed by environmental experts. They will determine whether the actions you will take are the ones that will give the best results and provide you with recommendations to optimise the plan.
- Action: This is the last phase, in which the environmental management plan is implemented, following all the recommendations provided by the experts in the previous stage.
We hope all the information in this post on environmental legislation in the hospitality industry has been of help to you.
