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.
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ReThink Disposable: Skip the Stuff Case Study
Project Size: 20 restaurants
Disposables Avoided: 1,578,769 (annual)
Single-use Reduction: 94%
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
ReThink Disposable: Jean’s Cafe
Capacity: 30
Dishwashing model: 3-compartment sink
Funding Source: unknown
Material: ceramic, metal, plastic
Disposables Avoided: 32,898 (annual)
Cost Savings: $2,063 (annual net)
Break-Even: 1 month
ReThink Disposable: Koreana Rittenhouse Square
Capacity: 25
Dishwashing model: 3-compartment sink
Funding Source: unknown
Material: ceramic, metal
Disposables Avoided: 90,669 (annual)
Cost Savings: $3,109 (annual net)
Break-Even: 3.8 months
ReThink Disposable: Truro Community Kitchen
Capacity: 288
Dishwashing model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: unknown
Material: plastic
Disposables Avoided: 18,000 (annual)
Cost Savings: $6,700 (annual net)
Break-Even: 5.5 months
ReThink Disposable: House of Bread
Capacity: 250
Dishwashing model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: donated dishware
Material: metal, ceramic, plastic
Disposables Avoided: 123,500 (annual)
Cost Savings: $1,643 (annual net)
Break-Even: unknown
ReThink Disposable: Cedar Lake Triathlons
Event Size: 100-participant races
Funding Source: unknown
Material: plastic, silicon
Return Rate: 70-91%
Disposables Avoided: 600
Cost Savings: unknown
Reuse Seattle: Woodland Park ZooTunes
Venue Size: 30,000
Dishwashing Model: Reuse Service Provider
Funding Source: Government grants & rebates
Material: Plastic
Return Rate: 95%
Disposables Avoided: 27,380 (year 1)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
City of Munich: Oktoberfest
Audience Size: 6,000,000
Dishwashing Model: Commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: Municipal Waste Management
Material: mixed
Return Rate: unknown
Disposables Avoided: 211 tons / year
Cost Savings: unknown
City of Boulder: City Events & Boulderthon
Venue Size: Citywide
Dishwashing Model: Reuse Service Provider
Funding Source: Government Incentive - City of Boulder
Material: Plastic
Return Rate: 90-99%
Disposables Avoided: 111,188
Cost Savings: variable
Break-Even: variable
Reuse Seattle: Seattle Pacific University
Project Size: 2,260 student body
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: None
Material: plastic
Disposables Avoided: 23,900 (annual)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
ReThink Disposable: Bedford Public Schools
Project Size: 1,400 student meals/day
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: Private grant: Plastic Free Restaurants
Material: metal
Disposables Avoided: 261,720 (annual)
Cost Savings: $11,777
Break-Even: 9 months
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
Green Sports Alliance: AEG & Levy
Venue Size: 3 venues (36,350 total capacity)
Dishwashing Model: Reuse Service Provider
Funding Source: None
Material: Plastic
Return Rate: unknown
Disposables Avoided: 3,000,000 (annual)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
Green Sports Alliance: AEG
Venue Size: 11 venues (52,940 total capacity) plus 6 festivals
Dishwashing Model: Reuse Service Provider
Funding Source: None
Material: Plastic
Return Rate: 94%
Disposables Avoided: 3,200,000 (3 years)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
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
ReThink Disposable: Interfaith Neighbors Senior Centers
Project Size: 6 Centers
Dishwashing model: 3-compartment sink
Funding Source: None
Material: metal, glass, plastic
Disposables Avoided: 326,000 (annual)
Cost Savings: $37,113 (annual net)
Break-Even: unknown
Turn the Tide on Plastic: Deja Blue
Capacity: 100
Dishwashing model: 3-compartment sink
Funding Source: None
Material: metal, glass, ceramic
Disposables Avoided: 67,221 (annual)
Cost Savings: $16,991 (annual net)
Break-Even: 2 months
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)
ReThink Disposable: Parra’s
Dishwashing model: 3-compartment sink
Funding Source: None
Material: stainless steel
Disposables Avoided: 41,063 (annual)
Cost Savings: $694 (annual net)
Break-Even: 1.9 months
Additional Resources
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![stadium]()
3 Chart-Reuse Case Studies
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![Two people are holding reusable cups of beer at an event, with a staff member wearing a black shirt and a green staff badge in the background.]()
Reuse Wins at Events
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![People working on wireframes and sketches for a website or app, with colorful sticky notes, markers, and a laptop on a white table.]()
A design sprint with business innovators
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![A bowl of pasta salad with green peas, parsley, lemon wedges, and a dollop of ricotta cheese, with a fork on the side, a glass of water, a stack of salad containers, and a red and white checkered napkin.]()
Serve it Safe
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![Dining area in a restaurant with wooden tables set with white napkins, forks, and empty glasses, large windows showing city buildings outside.]()
5 impact profiles of restaurants that switched to reuse
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![Person holding a metal tray with a meal including strawberries, green peas, blueberries with yogurt, a slice of bread, and fried food, with a metal cup and spoon on the tray.]()
The Conscious Cafeteria Report
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![dinosaur fossils in a natural history museum]()
Chart-Reuse Case Study: Reuse at a Cultural Attraction
