If you're planning a road trip this summer and staying in an Illinois hotel, you might notice something missing from the bathroom.

Thanks to a bill passed last year by the Illinois General Assembly, hotels with 50 or more rooms will no longer be allowed to offer those small single-use plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. The change goes into effect on July 1, 2025. Smaller hotels have until January 1, 2026, to comply.

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Why The Change?

The new law, officially named the "Small Single-Use Plastic Bottle Act," was introduced by State Rep. Kam Buckner and State Sen. Laura Fine, according to nbcchicago.com.

Illinois is the first state in the Great Lakes region to pass this kind of hotel-specific plastic ban.

Senator Fine pointed out that if current trends continue, plastic could outweigh all fish in the ocean by 2050. That's a stat that definitely makes you think twice about those tiny bottles we all forget to finish anyway.

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Hotels Already Ahead of the Game

Some major hotel chains have already made the switch. Marriott began phasing out single-use bottles in 2019, and Hyatt, owned by Illinois' own Pritzker family, followed suit shortly after.

What This Means for You

If you're hitting the road for a summer getaway, this is your friendly reminder: don't forget your own shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. You might still find them in a wall dispenser, but grab-and-go freebies are going away.

Pack smart, travel clean, and enjoy the trip.