Wuhang, China, Mar. 12--As pollution-free has become an officially important standard to grade a hotel, the Chinese hotel industry has become increasingly aware of environmental protection.
Gong Ping, manager of a newly opened hotel in Wuhan city of central China's Hubei Province said, "To acquire the four star rank, we've made security, health and no pollution as our top priorities in the construction of this hotel."
According to Gong, all decoration materials and equipment in the hotel, including bath tubs, ceramic tiles and plaster plates have undergone radioactive tests. No disposable plastic bags or foam containers are allowed to be used in its restaurants.
To spread the word about environmental protection to customers, the hotel mentions its ecology efforts in its guide book to seek cooperation and support from guests.
On March 1, China's State Economic and Trade Commission issued a regulation to detail the industrial criteria for a green hotel rating consisting of five grades.
Han Ming, president of the China Hotels Association, said it plans to set up 1,000 green hotels this year and will to promote the new standards to the country's hotel sector.
Green hotel grading was originally started in 1997 in Denmark, Canada and Japan, according to Han. Right now in China, such hotels can be only found in large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Qingdao.
