Clean the World - Over 14 Years of Global Impact
Clean the World’s purpose to make the world a better place is brought to life in part via its Global Recycling Program, diverting soap bars and plastic amenities (which the hospitality industry would otherwise discard) from landfills and manufacturing new soap bars. By doing so, Clean the World helps reduce pollution, save water, and decrease the carbon footprint of thousands of hotel partners globally, while improving the lives of women, children, and communities worldwide by donating the new soap bars to global NGOs, such as The WASH Foundation (an evolution of Clean the World Foundation).
With over 8,200 participants in its Global Hospitality Recycling Program, and more than 1.4 million hotel rooms processed daily, Clean the World has already diverted over 25.8 million pounds of waste from landfills and donated over 82 million bars of recycled soap since its inception in 2009.
Clean the World’s soap recycling and manufacturing multi-step process includes rigorous testing by the Biological Consulting Services Laboratory. The used bars of soap are ground into pellets and finely refined to eliminate any foreign particles; then, they are sterilized, refined again, and manufactured into brand-new bars of soap.
Collected plastic amenity bottles are diverted from landfills and can be recycled by being processed into flakes that can be used to manufacture new products, hence providing a sustainable circular solution to these single-use plastic products.
Our Global Hospitality Recycling Partners
Our Global Recycling Centers
SOAP RECYCLING Process
Soap Collection
Clean the World collects used soap from hotels and weighs each collection box for impact reporting.
Soap Sorting
After the soap is weighed, Clean the World volunteers sort the soap to get ready for the next phase of recycling.
Soap Refining
The bars of soap are then ground into pellets and finely refined to separate any foreign particles from the soap, leaving a clean soap grind.
Soap Sterilization
At this step, a sterilization solution is added to sanitize the soap further.
Soap Bar Making
The soap then goes through another refining process before it is pressed, stamped with our logo, and cut into brand-new bars of soap.
Soap Testing
A soap sample is sent off to the Biological Consulting Services Laboratory, a fully accredited third-party laboratory, which tests the newly-made bars of soap for any and all contaminants.
Soap Packaging
Clean the World volunteers pack the newly-made soap bars into boxes, and prepare them for global distribution.
Soap Distribution
The soap boxes are shipped to charities worldwide for distribution to vulnerable populations. Since 2009, Clean the World has made a significant impact by providing over 17 billion individual handwashes to those in need across the globe.
Plastic Bottle amenities Recycling
Plastic Collection
Clean the World collects plastic amenity bottles from hotels, including shampoo, conditioner, and lotion, and weighs products for impact reporting.
Plastic Sorting
Volunteers sort the plastic bottles, separating lotion and conditioner bottles from shampoo bottles. The plastic bottles are then further sorted based on the type of plastic in order to maximize the efficiency of the recycling process.
Flake Creation
Once at the recycling facility, the parts of the plastic bottles that can be recycled are processed (shredded) into tiny bits of plastic (flake), and liquid soap is separated to be repurposed into cleaning products.
To ensure “zero to landfills” impact, the parts of the bottles that cannot be recycled are use to produce clean energy.
Testimonials
"Our staff feels good knowing the materials are being put to good use instead of going to the landfill and encourages everyone to be on the lookout for additional ways to be mindful of our environmental footprint."
"We immediately were made aware of the large quantities of product and bi-product waste that were previously going unnoticed. Seeing the physical collection of soap & bottles that we’re diverting from the local landfill is impressive."
"Concord has partnered with Clean the World for years to collect soaps, shampoos, lotions and more to help fight preventable diseases by providing soap and hygiene products to disadvantaged areas across the globe.
“Over the years we’ve collected many, many, many tons of soap. That, too, has become one of the hallmarks of who we are and what we do for people. We trumpet this milestone internally to make sure those who join our company know that it’s important to us. And boy, is it ever easy to get people on board because it’s just the right thing to do."
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FAQs
How does Clean the World address carbon emissions when transporting soap and plastic amenities?
Clean the World utilizes UPS Carbon Neutral shipping for all small package shipping, which helps offset carbon emissions from our packages.
Can I purchase soap from Clean the World?
No, our soaps are not available for retail sale. 100% of the soaps we create through our recycling program are distributed to charitable organizations and NGOs worldwide.
What are the benefits of recycling soap and plastic amenities?
Recycling soap and plastic amenities help reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve resources, and minimize the environmental impact associated with the production of new soap and plastic products. Recycling also allows these items to be repurposed and distributed to communities in need.
Can I donate to support Clean the World's recycling efforts?
Yes, Clean the World Foundation welcomes monetary donations to support its recycling programs and initiatives. You can visit our website https://cleantheworldfoundation.org/donations/washforall/ to learn more about donation options.
How can I get involved and support Clean the World's mission?
Apart from donations, you can volunteer at Clean the World’s headquarters in Orlando to help with soap recycling. For more information on volunteer options, visit us at our website https://cleantheworldfoundation.org/volunteer/!
Additional questions? Email us at info@cleantheworld.org
