Our Approach to Materials & Waste

As a major developer and operator of resorts and entertainment venues, we know that Design & Development phases require large volumes of materials and can generate significant levels of waste. In most of our development projects we have implemented large scale construction and demolition materials recycling programs and have significantly reduced disposal to landfill during new construction and major renovations.

Examples include:

• Project-specific waste management plans
• Construction waste signage
• Highlight best practices during project orientations
• Diversion rate requirements
• Onsite waste separation facilities
• Building materials recycling and donations
• Hazardous waste disposal training
• Project-specific Materials & Waste inventory
• Hazardous waste monitoring
• Ongoing Materials & Waste data tracking

With more than 4.4 million square feet of event and convention space and 400+ food and beverage outlets, the single largest waste stream we divert at MGM Resorts is food waste. Our approach to food waste management is aligned with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Food Recovery Hierarchy.

MGM Resorts is the largest multi-concept, non-chain restaurant operator in the U.S. Excluding multi-national fast-food chains, we are the fourth largest independent restaurant company globally. As such, food is a significant focus of our environmental sustainability program.

We recognize that packaging and other plastics account for a substantial portion of our company’s waste stream. We have reduced the volume of single-use plastics in our resorts by replacing plastic straws with paper alternatives, plastic stir sticks with wood and bamboo alternatives and many of our plastic to-go containers with fiber-based alternatives. We have also switched from plastic to paper cups in many of our convention resorts. Health and safety concerns associated with the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in the reversal of many of our plastic reduction efforts, and while we will always prioritize the health and safety of our guests and employees, we remain committed to continuing our plastic reduction efforts moving forward.

Featured Project: Packaging Innovation Through SmartPower

In 2019, we conducted a comprehensive three-month pilot in multiple high-volume commercial dishwashers at Mandalay Bay. The transition was to a “SmartPower” solution from Ecolab and the pilot demonstrated immediate notable benefits. Our wash cycle reduced by 11%, leading to an estimated 11% reduction in water and energy use while maintaining or improving cleanliness. Because the product packaging was more compact, there was a 96% reduction in plastic waste. In addition, because the new chemical formulations were milder, the need for personal protective equipment was eliminated, providing health and safety benefits to employees and reducing waste in this area. The SmartPower program was rolled out across the company in the latter half of 2019 and continued into 2020. Approximately 75% of our high-volume dishwashers have been converted, with the remaining scheduled to transition as the inventory of the previously purchased product is depleted. .

Featured Project: Packaging Efficiency at MGM COTAI

In 2018, MGM Resorts became the first integrated resort operator in Macau to abandon all single-use plastics in takeaway packaging. In 2020, we saw a 60.3% reduction (2.4 million bottles) compared with when the initiative first began in 2018. We also installed seven new beverage stations on the gaming floor to further reduce bottled water consumption. We are exploring the feasibility of scaling the beverage station initiative, because while 100% of our single-use plastic bottles are recyclable, we aim to limit the use of single-use plastic bottles altogether.

In 2016, we began collaborating with our office supplies vendor, Staples, to transition to environmentally preferable paper. We established a preference for paper that either contained 30% or more post-recycled content or was FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. To maximize the use of this preferred paper, we have worked with our main copy paper supplier to implement a forced substitution system, so that buyers are encouraged only to buy paper that meets the standard. We have also implemented our 'Paper Cuts' program, with a goal to dramatically reduce total paper use.

In 2009, MGM Resorts received the 'Best Commercial Project in the U.S.' award from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an independent, non-profit organization that protects forests for future generations. This recognition was for the unprecedented scale in which we used FSC-certified wood at CityCenter, our first LEED Gold certified property. In 2016, we opened MGM National Harbor, and more than 80% of our spending on wood and wood products was from FSC certified forests. Through our long-standing commitment to FSC, we send a strong market signal that we support elevated levels of responsible forestry. With significant Design & Development activities, our approach to sustainable wood is one way we manage nature-related risks.

MGM Resorts operates more than 90 million square feet of building space, much of which exists in hot climates, requiring air conditioning and air filters. We partnered with a supplier to analyze and test more durable options, with the goal of providing our guests with high-quality filtered air while reducing energy and lowering costs.