In 1996, 1,878,533 tons of municipal solid waste 2 and 1,502,650 tons of construction and demolition debris were generated in Clark County. The waste was disposed at local landfills (an additional 382,589 tons of materials were recovered for recycling). Harding Lawson Associates Engineering and Environmental Services, a Las Vegas consulting firm, estimates the local hospitality industry contributes 26.85% of the municipal waste stream generated in Clark County. This means more than half-a million tons of the solid waste disposed in 1996 was generated by Las Vegas hotels and restaurants. As shown in Figure 1, 33% of Clark County's solid waste was cardboard, 9.8% food waste, 7.3 % grease, 6.4% glass, and .75% aluminum (by weight), all of which are recyclable materials.
1 Disposal rates are reported annually to the Clark County Health District.
2 Materials for disposal. This includes durable and non-durable goods, containers, packaging, food scraps, yard and landscaping trimmings, and other inorganic wastes. It does not include construction debris.
In addition to waste generated by Las Vegas residents, considerable waste is produced by the millions of tourists and visitors drawn to the city by the casino and convention industries. Currently Las Vegas attracts million visitors every year, and this number is expected to exceed 42 million per year within the the next three years (Harding Lawson Associates 1995).
According to the American Hotel and Motel Association, each hotel guest generates an average of 1.0-2.5 pounds of waste every day (Saunders 1993). This represents 14,500 to 36,250 tons of waste per year generated by Las Vegas' 29 million hotel guests. With visitors staying an average of four days in Las Vegas, tourists represent a significant population of waste generators.
Las Vegas' eighty largest hotels range in size from 200 to more than 5500 rooms; together they contain a total of 84,460 guest rooms, and are typically at or near occupancy capacity throughout the year. With an 80% occupancy rate, approximately 67,000 rooms are occupied each day. If each room has one only person and generates 1.0 lb of waste, that would mean 67,000 total lbs or 34 tons of waste were generated in one day by hotel guests. At 100% occupancy with two people per room, each generating 2.5 lbs of waste, hotel guests would contribute 420,000 lbs or 210 tons for each day they visited.
In addition to waste generated by guests, hotels themselves produce large quantities of waste in their daily operations. Each has a casino, retail shop, and numerous bars and restaurants. Each of these areas generates waste.