Reuse Case Study Explorer
The case for reuse is strong. Many dozens of case studies from pilots and projects around the world and across many sectors prove cost and environmental savings. In order to illustrate the potential for reuse in every documented scenario, Upstream has gathered this filterable database of reuse case studies. By using the filters, you can identify and/or download all case studies pertaining to the most common fields of inquiry. (Discover more sorting tags by clicking into each case study).
If you know of a case study you do not find here, please let us know and we will happily add it! If you would like further information about any of these case studies or would like to further explore how such data can inform your reuse operations, contact us.
Sector Key
Click an icon to see case studies by sector — and/or use the filters in the side bar.
Zero Waste Europe: Food Surplus Management
Venue size: n/a
Dishwashing model: Commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: Public funding
Material: Plastic
Return Rate: 90%
Disposables Avoided: 1,259 (annual average)
Cost Savings: unknown
StopWaste: Veritable Vegetable
Project size: 500 customers
Funding Source: Public grant - StopWaste
Material: Mesh pallet wrap
Disposables Avoided: 7 miles of plastic wrap
Cost Savings: $6,258 (annual)
Break-even: 1.5 years
StopWaste: Fifth Crow Farm
Project size: 200 CSA customers
Funding Source: Public Grant - StopWaste
Material: Plastic totes
Disposables Avoided: 1,440 (annual)
Cost Savings: $1,200 (annual)
StopWaste: Boulder Valley School District
Funding Source: Public Grant - StopWaste
Material: Plastic totes & tubs
Disposables Avoided: 3,400 (annual)
Cost Savings: $4,500 (annual)
StopWaste: America’s Best Coffee Roasting Company
Funding Source: Public Grant - StopWaste
Material: Plastic totes & bins
Disposables Avoided: 52,500 (annual)
Cost Savings: $11,750 (annual)
Break-even: 10 months
ReThink Disposable: Franciscan Charities of Newark
Dishwashing model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: donations
Material: glass, metal, plastic
Disposables Avoided: 936,000 (annual)
Cost Savings: $47,973 (annual net)
Break-Even: n/a
City of Tallinn: Youth Song & Dance Festival
Audience Size: 125,000
Dishwashing Model: Reuse Service Provider
Funding Source: Municipal
Material: plastic
Return Rate: unknown
Disposables Avoided: 500,000
Cost Savings: unknown
ReThink Disposable: Middletown School District
Project Size: 4,500 student meals/day
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: Public & private grants and donations: CT Equipment Assistance grant, Plastic Free Restaurants, donors
Material: metal, plastic
Disposables Avoided: 3,760,000 (annual)
Cost Savings: $91,175
Break-Even: 3.8 months
CEH: Fremont Unified School District
Project Size: 10,000 student meals/day
Dishwashing Model: Reuse Service Provider
Funding Source: Public & Private Grants - StopWaste & Plastic Free Restaurants
Material: metal
Disposables Avoided: 2,373,300 (annual)
Cost Savings: unknown
Break-Even: unknown
Reusable Seacoast: Seacoast NH Reusable Takeout Container Pilot
Pilot Size: 4 restaurants
Dishwashing Model: (In-house dishwashing)
Funding Source: Public Grants & Private Donors
Material: Metal, Silicone
Return Rate: 100%
Disposables Avoided: 1,000 (8 months)
Additional Resources