Almost 80% of Landfill Waste Diverted by Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean Group says it is now keeping almost 80% of its waste out of landfills, supported by a waste-management network that extends across more than 40 ports worldwide.

The company highlighted its Green Hubs program as one of the key initiatives helping it achieve its waste-diversion goals. Green Hubs are ports where Royal Caribbean Group has evaluated and identified waste-management providers capable of correctly recycling, reusing, repurposing or otherwise processing materials brought ashore from its vessels.

The initiative was launched in 2014 and had grown to include 34 ports by 2023. According to Royal Caribbean’s latest update, the network has now expanded to more than 40 ports.

Much of the waste-management process begins before materials ever leave the ship. Royal Caribbean Group vessels have dedicated waste and recycling areas where crew members separate and process different materials. Equipment used onboard can include cardboard balers, glass crushers and aluminum can compactors.

Crew members may also sort glass by color to help ensure it can be processed correctly after being transferred ashore.

The company says all of its vessels have the equipment and procedures necessary to operate without sending waste directly to local landfills. However, whether waste ultimately avoids landfill disposal also depends on the availability of appropriate processing facilities at the ports where materials are taken ashore.

This is where the Green Hubs network plays an important role. Waste-management providers are monitored to confirm that materials received from Royal Caribbean Group ships are recycled, reused, repurposed or processed through approved waste-to-energy facilities.

The program also relies on the work of environmental officers and waste-handling crew members onboard. Their daily responsibilities, including sorting, compacting and maintaining records, help make the company’s waste-diversion efforts possible.