A pilot program with restaurants to implement practices to promote and/or switch to reusable foodware
Are you a food service business looking for resources to reduce single-use foodware? Check out our resources page.
Project Background
Since 2021, in partnership with Toronto Environmental Alliance, we have been leading research on the current practices and perceptions related to reducing waste from single-use materials and switching to reusable foodware. Our research has included surveys and interviews with food service businesses and their customers to assess what they are doing to reduce waste, their current knowledge on issues related to waste, and their plans to transition to reusable foodware. In addition, we are working to measure the effectiveness of different strategies for reducing waste in the City of Toronto.
Today, to help increase uptake in reusables programs and learn from restaurants about the benefits and barriers of switching to reusables, we are carrying out local case studies with Toronto restaurants. We are currently running a pilot program, where we work with restaurants to implement bring your own (BYO) options and/or offer reusables for take-out or dine-in. For each participating restaurant, we collect data on the logistics, cost savings and waste reduction, as well as challenges and opportunities. This information will guide future interventions aimed at minimizing the use of single-use materials.
Our overarching objectives are to work with local restaurants to implement more sustainable services. We provide resources to make this possible. During the pilot, each restaurant does the following:
- Offer and/or promote reusable options by:
- Implementing a “for here or to go” process.
- Switching to reusable for some or all dishes.
- Offer and/or accept reusable options by:
- Prompting customers during orders to bring their own containers (BYO).
- Adopting a policy to accept BYO.
- Providing a reusable takeout service.
Participating Restaurants
The data generated from this project will be used to inspire other restaurants to reduce their use of single-use foodware and inform decision-makers as they consider new policies to reduce single-use items in restaurants.
For more information, please email Rafaela F. Gutierrez
This project is in partnership with:
This project is supported by:
