Introducing the Reuse for Onsite Dining Library
Single-use disposable foodware is increasingly prevalent in restaurants across North America — even for dining in. Over 20% of disposable foodware and packaging used by US restaurants and food service businesses could be eliminated today by making reusables the norm for onsite dining.* When you think about it, reuse for onsite dining is a “back to basics” transformation. Before the advent of fast food, customers enjoying a meal while out and about were automatically served with real cups, dishes, and cutlery.**
Fortunately, along with the increased use in disposables has come a focus in local policy and community efforts to bring back reuse for onsite dining. A network of NGOs across the reuse, waste reduction, and plastic pollution space identified a need for a comprehensive resource to assist those looking to advance this sensible, proven waste reduction strategy. Instead of recreating the wheel and duplicating efforts, these allied organizations created a collaborative initiative to gather their relevant tools and resources in one spot, drafting new material to fill in any gaps.
The end product is a co-branded, collective library of nearly 60 resources from 16 organizations. Whether you are a restaurant or school curious to increase your use of reusable foodware, a government department crafting a reuse for onsite dining policy, or a community group eager to organize around less trash, this library is intended to be a one-stop-shop of resources.
The library caters to four specific audiences: advocates, businesses, governments, and elected officials. A sort function is embedded within the webpage, which will allow users to search for content relevant to their intended audience or filter by resource type—like fact sheets, guides, reports, etc. The library also offers open source infographics that folks are encouraged to use in their own advocacy or education efforts. There is also the option to contribute so that the library can stay relevant with time and welcome other resources from across the movement that build the case for reuse for onsite dining.
A huge thank you to the collaborators and contributors to this effort: 5 Gyres, Beyond Plastics, Center for Environmental Health, Don’t Waste Durham, Eco-Cycle, Ecology Center, Heal the Bay, Plastic Free Restaurants, Product Stewardship Institute, ReThink Disposable, Reusable LA, Safer States, Stop Waste, The Story of Stuff Project, and Surfrider Foundation.
May this library be a useful tool for you and everyone else looking to make throw away go-away by establishing reuse for onsite dining as the status quo again.
*Rich Grousset, Senior Vice President, Re:Dish- based on calculations using data from "Overbrook Foundation: The Dirty Truth About Disposable Foodware" and The Freedonia Group
**The New Reuse Economy: How reuse systems and services will revolutionize how we consume
