Reusables.com Launches New Technology For Universities to Eliminate Packaging Waste

A new technology solution to eliminate single-use packaging waste launched this fall at Simon Fraser University (SFU), following a successful pilot last year that saw 125 kgs of single-use packaging waste reduced and more than 500 kgs of carbon emissions avoided in six months.

Reusables.com announced its partnership with Compass Group Canada (through their educational food service division, Chartwells), Canada's leading food service and support services company. With interest from universities across the country, Reusables is rolling out its new Tap to Reuse and Smart Return Bin technology, first at SFU's Mackenzie Café.

As of September this year, customers at SFU's busy Mackenzie Café are replacing single-use packaging with stainless steel reusable containers powered by Reusables' RFID technology that allows anyone to easily borrow and return containers, like a library system. The model is free for users and helps food service operations save costs on disposable packaging.

The move comes in an effort to continue the reduction of single use plastics in the food service industry at a critical time. The use of single-use plastic packaging has increased exponentially in recent decades, contributing to the growing issue of plastic waste. With only a small percentage of plastic or compostables being recycled in Canada, approaches that focus on reduction and reuse are the most effective means to prevent packaging from becoming waste in the first place.

Reusables.com provides enabling technology for food service operators to offer reusable containers as an alternative to disposable packaging. The company initially launched with restaurants in Vancouver and is now providing its technology to universities and corporate campuses in North America to make reusable packaging the new standard.

Reusables.com's software tracks and reports on the environmental impact created. Its RFID tags and automated return system manages containers with a 99% overall return rate. The company's plastic free, high-performance containers and cups do not require an app or a deposit, making it the most convenient and scalable platform for sustainable packaging.