Hotels debate 'six needs'
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06/28/2002
The "six needs", which include toothbrush, toothpaste, slippers, combs, shower foam, and shampoo, may disappear from local hotels in the future, according to the Shanghai Morning Post.The newspaper has learned that the National Technology Supervision Bureau may issue new regulations to set standards for foreign-related hotels. The terms for the six needs may be revised to enhance environmental protection. Under the present terms, hotels with one star or more are required to provide shampoo and bathing necessities for guests. However, these are only recommended terms, not mandatory, said sources. Zhang Lingguang, who is in charge of the tourism and service industry through the National Technology Supervision Bureau, said it was only a recommendation so hotels were free to implement the suggestion according to market demands. He also said the standard had been listed on the amendment plans. It is possible that the terms mentioned above will disappear, and hotels will no longer provide daily necessities under regulations in Shanghai. Those who have been to European countries or some neighbouring Southeast Asian nations might be accustomed to this situation, as guides in charge of these trips remind travellers again and again not to forget to bring shampoo and bathing necessities with them. In many major hotels overseas, this has already become a regulation. However, in China, hotels as well as guests are unable to accept this idea. Xu Yan, a public relations manager of a local hotel, said: "Many hotel administration officials have the experience of working in hotels abroad, and understand the issue quite well. But almost all the hotels in Shanghai provide such services, so we do not want to be the first ones to make the move." The six needs issue may seem unimportant, but the total waste produce by these small articles equals 1,814 tons a year. Section chief Zhuang Hua from Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau's comprehensive planning department told reporters that the bureau needs several million yuan to handle this garbage every year. More importantly, it is very difficult for environmental protection experts to deal with these problems. "These six needs are mainly made of plastic, so they do not easily decomposed in the soil and will turn into new pollution resources," said Xu Zhiping, an official from the bureau. China Daily news
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