Putting reuse into practice

By Crystal Dreisbach, Upstream CEO

Upstream has been committed to building the alternative circular economy for over 20 years. We work to transform the systems and regulations that have enabled wasting resources since the Industrial Revolution. To get to a thriving healthy future, we need a full-on reuse transition—where waste is a thing of the past and where recirculating durable, returnable products and packaging is the new normal. That’s why I’m excited to share an updated strategic vision for the organization.

The future is promising. The reuse movement in North America has advanced substantially in the past 5 years. Research has firmly established that reusable packaging wins over other solutions both environmentally and economically, as reuse systems become more effective thanks to an expanding body of knowledge and experience. Reuse services that provide the logistics, technology, and infrastructure for collection, washing, and recirculation of reusable products and packaging is a burgeoning industry across North America and globally. Universal reuse standards are in development. And there are now well over 100 local and state policies incentivizing or requiring reuse, covering over 25% of the US & Canada’s population—and counting. 

There are also many challenges. While the infrastructure has indeed expanded, the implementation of large-scale reuse is limited by the need for even more and bigger facilities and widespread, shared, interoperable systems. But who is responsible for fixing a systems-level problem and building the solution? And who pays for what’s necessary to create the alternative economy?

Single-use, on the other hand, is heavily subsidized, widely available, and accepted as the norm. It is based on false efficiency and economics, causing a health and financial burden for people, cities, and businesses. Beyond the taxes we pay to deal with waste and climate chaos, most people—except, critically, those in frontline communities—are separated from the consequences of waste generation, which isn’t solved by recycling and composting. And many corporations don’t understand that consumers want reuse: even when presented with positive impact data, they face challenges convincing leadership to invest in change.

So what does the movement need to do to bring reuse to the next level? 

To address the root causes behind why reuse is not yet widespread, the movement has some hard and exciting work cut out for it:

We must normalize reuse, making it widely available and accessible so that reusables become the default.  

We must demonstrate successful full-scale reuse systems in key sectors. These examples will provide social, environmental, and financial proof that helps guide companies, institutions, and governments to confidently transform their own systems. 

We must grow and support the reuse service industry with creative funding mechanisms and de-risked investment—and a trade association to create a unified voice for the industry.

We must forge the most practical and impactful path to a reuse tipping point with universal standards; scientifically robust metrics to guide implementation; and data platforms that forecast and track real impacts. 

We must ensure equitable access to reuse with policies that obligate widespread adoption; systems that are free to customers; strategic initiatives to scale infrastructure; and technical assistance to help cities, institutions, and corporations switch successfully.

We must require and incentivize producers to change the ways they do business and contribute to reuse systems through well-crafted, paradigm-shifting policies. 

We must evolve the historical  concept of waste management so that city solid waste managers see that reuse can and should be integrated into city-wide utilities and the recycling industry recognizes they can incorporate reuse services as a new revenue stream. 

Upstream’s strategy

The transition to a circular economy is not a simple swap-out of wrappers, bottles, or dishes. It is a total disruption of the status quo, a system redesign requiring radical collaboration and fundamental changes to funding and investment, supply chains, infrastructure, and operations. Working together, convening, and bridge-building is an essential part of realizing our vision.

For decades, Upstream has consistently evolved to provide what the movement needs, orchestrating many foundational elements of the redesign and making it a leading change agency for reuse in the US & Canada. To fulfill that role, we center our work under three pillars:

Normalizing reuse

The movement will benefit from moving beyond telling to a lot more showing and doing.

We are focused on helping to create reuse models at scale in key sectors with high visibility and wide demographic reach—such as schools, sports stadiums, and national parks—which will increase exposure to the general population and make reuse part of mainstream culture.

Evidence-based, widespread communication about reuse will also influence the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that drive a cultural shift. We will continue to use our platforms to provide scientifically robust metrics, demonstrate positive impacts, elevate success stories, provide tools, and convene communities of practice. 

Normalizing reuse also includes educating new audiences about the benefits and functions of a new system and supporting them to change. We will package success stories into actionable content to catalyze broader transformation. This includes study tours (real-life and virtual), video assets, infographics, reuse roadmaps, readiness workshops, and toolkits.

Growing and supporting reuse systems

While the reuse movement has gained a great deal of momentum, Upstream has learned through experience that information is not enough to create systemic change. We’ve identified four essential actions to reach a tipping point where reuse services become a widespread, cross-sectional, intraoperative industry and an everyday utility:

1. Develop an industry alliance: We must legitimize reuse as a service by allying reuse companies into a trade association—creating unified policy positions, applying universal standards, and firmly establishing reuse as a burgeoning, in-demand industry.

2. Implement reuse models: Despite feeling “ready” for reuse, the institutions, governments, and companies we encounter have shared several barriers to making the switch. They need intense, expert guidance to surmount these barriers—perceived or real. These challenges become opportunities which Upstream seeks to address by providing social proof, best practices, and process guidance.

3. Aggregate demand: To advance the buildout of reuse services and infrastructure in new markets, we are identifying and helping to develop geographic “hotspots for reuse” with our partners. This involves securing high-volume venues that represent anchor contracts. They scale up infrastructure swiftly and effectively, which then gives access for lower-volume entities in a city or region (e.g. grocery stores, festival grounds, hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, etc)—making reuse widespread and accessible. 

4. Create funding mechanisms: Like solar power, the economic model for reuse requires high upfront investment in logistics and infrastructure. Funding can come from government, producers, and forward-service contracts with large anchor clients. Analysis and de-risking is needed to prepare the field for funding.

Learn more about our vision for putting reuse into practice here.

Creating an enabling policy environment

For the reuse economy to scale, policy is needed to level the playing field, compel corporations to act, and direct funding toward shared reuse infrastructure. Reuse is increasingly widespread in communities across the U.S. and Canada—thanks in large part to the work of reuse coalitions and 1,000+ Reuse Solutions Network members. While we continue to support this inspiring on-the-ground work with our networks and resources, we are shifting our focus to maximize impact by engaging directly in policy at the state and federal levels. 

These higher-level policies are what’s needed to scale reuse in the Consumer Packaged Goods sector so that everyday products are provided in reusable packaging and reuse in retail becomes the default. We are focused on passing new state-level policies like extended producer responsibility for packaging, deposit return systems, and other pro-reuse mechanisms—all essential to shifting the paradigm so brands own full responsibility for the packaging they put on the market. We are also staying engaged after each law passes to ensure the strongest possible incentives and requirements for reuse are codified in regulations and adopted in real life.

Our Vision is evergreen

Upstream is guided by a vision of the better alternative: systems which are regenerative, circular, and equitable.

Reuse is a climate change solution. Reuse beats single-use by every environmental measure.

Reuse is economic and workforce development. It creates safe, green, local jobs and keeps resources circulating locally while building community wealth.

Reuse is a sound business practice and $168B market opportunity. It facilitates access to new markets, drives innovation, and saves production and procurement costs.

Reuse is a justice solution. We must account for the intersectionality between the systems built around waste and the devastating effects of those systems on social, economic, and environmental justice.

More reuse means more joy. A circular economy increases human touch points and a sense of well-being and connectedness. Reuse takes care of people and the planet.

Join us as we forge ahead

Upstream is part of a larger ecosystem of NGOs and public- and private-sector groups working to upend the take-make-waste economy. Together we are orchestrating from all angles the changes needed for this ambitious shift.

If you are reading this, we know you care as we do, and we want you to get involved in the movement. If you’re an individual, the best ways are to connect with and contribute to local efforts in your geographic area and join the Reuse Solutions Network (RSN)—a network Upstream organizes for activists, communities, and governments to learn, share, and problem-solve. If you work for a corporate entity, we hope you'll leverage the resources on our website, and commit to meaningfully exploring how you can transform your company and community for the better with all the positive impacts that reuse brings. Reach out to us at info@upstreamsolutions.org and let us know how we can support you in your efforts to build a thriving reuse economy.

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