Tourism is booming. International arrivals are climbing past pre-pandemic levels, fueling jobs and economic growth. At the same time, the sector is under pressure to go greener, with eco-labels and sustainability pledges on the rise. 

Yet behind the scenes lies an invisible, largely unknown footprint: hazardous chemicals hidden across the supply chains that power tourism – from the farms that produce food for guests to the textiles furnishing hotel rooms. These substances quietly pollute air, soil, and water, threatening the very destinations travelers come to enjoy. 

Here are six tourism supply chains carrying invisible chemical risks – and solutions to tackle them. 

Cooling without harming the climate

Air conditioning and refrigeration keep guests comfortable and food fresh, but many systems use refrigerants that are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO₂). Poorly maintained equipment can leak gases, and older units may contain ozone-depleting substances, controlled by the Montreal Protocol. Cooling already accounts for around 7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

What can we do? Tourism facilities can shift to climate-friendly refrigerants and more efficient technologies, perform regular leak checks on refrigerants, and ensure proper recovery and disposal of used refrigerants. Investing in energy-efficient AC systems reduces CO2 emissions and operational cost. 

Sourcing safe and sustainable food 

Pesticides are widely used to protect crops and extend shelf life. These chemicals play a major role in global food supply chains – including the fruits, vegetables, coffee, and tea served daily in hotels and resorts. 

But their overuse comes at a cost: an estimated 200,000 people die each year from pesticide poisoning, mostly farm workers in developing countries. Excessive pesticide use also contaminates rivers and soils, harms wildlife, and leaves residues on food served to hotel guests. 

What can we do? Tourism businesses can reduce impacts by sourcing organic, locally produced food and tapping into the growing appeal of authentic cuisine. Partnering with community-based and women-led producers who use traditional techniques and local species strengthens livelihoods, preserves cultural heritage, protects ecosystems, and offers guests safer, more distinctive experiences 

Shrinking the industry’s plastic footprint 

Plastics are everywhere in tourism – from packaging and toiletries to furniture and textiles. Plastics contain many chemicals, and without the sound management across their life cycle, from production to disposal, hazardous chemicals can be released, putting human health and ecosystems at risk. 

Microplastics add another layer of risk. some are intentionally added to products such as toiletries and detergents, while others are generated as larger plastic products break down. Today, these tiny particles have already been detected in seafood, drinking water, and even human blood. 

What can we do? Hotels can cut their plastic footprint by practicing green procurement, eliminating single-use items, choosing natural and reusable materials, phasing out toiletries and detergents with added microplastics, and expanding refill systems such as water refill stations while working with local communities on ecological alternatives and improved recycling and waste management.  

Building responsibly 

Tourism development often comes with a high environmental cost – not only from new construction that drives deforestation and coastal erosion, but also from renovation, ongoing maintenance, and even the closure of existing facilities. 

Beyond the visible impacts of construction, building materials – paints, glues, insulation, wood, and furniture – if not carefully selected, could release harmful substances into the air. These substances don’t just vanish, they can persist in the environment for decades, affecting both people’s health and nature. Renovation or demolition may also release asbestos, posing health risks for workers and nearby communities. 

What can we do? To build more responsibly, the tourism industry can adopt sustainable planning and procurement criteria, protect fragile ecosystems, choose safer materials like paints and glues that don’t release harmful fumes, and select furnishings free from toxic flame retardants. In older buildings, companies must test for asbestos or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) before renovation and remove them safely. 

Choosing clean textiles and furnishings

Hotels consume enormous amounts of textiles – from bed linens and towels to curtains, carpets, and staff uniforms. Many of these are made from synthetic fibers treated with stain- or wrinkle-resistant coatings that can contain harmful chemicals. 

The textile industry relies heavily on chemicals. Producing just 1 kilogram of textiles requires about 0.58 kilograms of chemicals, many of which can be harmful to people and ecosystems. The result is pollution of water and soils, risks for farm workers, and chemical residues that travel through the supply chain. On top of this, the sector generates around millions of tonnes of textile waste every year, much of which ends up in landfills or is burned, releasing yet more pollutants. 

What can we do? Hotels and resorts can reduce these risks by sourcing certified organic materials and extending product lifespan. These practices can be formalized and scaled up through sustainable procurement guidelines that steer purchasing decisions toward minimizing environmental and social impacts and embedded in green certification criteria that set the standards businesses must meet to earn an eco-label or sustainability certification. 

Reducing electronics’ toxic legacy 

Hotels heavily rely on electronics – TVs, lighting, kitchen appliances, and others. These products may contain hazardous substances such as heavy metals and flame retardants. When discarded, they contribute to the world’s 62 million tonnes of e-waste produced annually, much of which ends up in informal dumpsites, where burning or unsafe recycling contaminates air, soil, and water. 

What can we do? Safer products are already available. The tourism sector can reduce the footprint of their electronics by working with certified e-waste recyclers, buying energy-efficient and mercury-free products like LED lights, and extending the lifespan of devices through repair and proper maintenance. 

Towards more sustainable tourism 

Chemical pollution is often invisible – but its effects are not. Workers along the value chain face daily exposure, communities near tourist hotspots see their soils, rivers, and coasts polluted, and ecosystems, from coral reefs to mangroves are damaged. Ultimately, these risks undermine the tourism economy itself. 

The good news is that solutions already exist – and an alliance of partners is working to put them into practice. The Global Environment Facility–supported iCOAST programme is working with stakeholders including governments and tourism businesses to cut pollution, lower greenhouse gas emissions, curb overconsumption of resources, and reverse biodiversity loss by using, among others, the different solutions previously listed in Belize, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Maldives, Mexico, Morocco, Seychelles, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Türkiye, and Vanuatu to make tourism more sustainable and circular.  

With collective action, tourism can shift from unsustainable practices that strain ecosystems and communities to driving sustainable value chains, restoring nature, boosting circularity, creating decent jobs, and supporting local livelihoods.