Top: Purple reusable to-go cups were offered in 12- and 16-ounce sizes for hot and cold beverages, and 22-ounce cups for fountain drinks. Photo courtesy Closed Loop Partners
In August 2024, more than 30 restaurants in the City of Petaluma, California, swapped their single-use cups for to-go reusable cups for all customers at no cost. The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project was led by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy’s NextGen Consortium. Most restaurants and coffee shops in the Project used multi-brand purple cups, offered in 12- and 16-ounce sizes for hot and cold beverages as well as a 22-ounce cup for fountain drinks. Starbucks activated special branded cups with purple elements and program communications on reusable tall, grande and venti cups. Outdoor, indoor and drive-thru return bins were set up (total of 60) and the service provider (Muuse) regularly collected, washed, sanitized, inspected, repacked then delivered ready-to use cups to businesses.
Over 220,000 reusable cups (51% of those distributed) were successfully returned during the 12-week project, with minimal bin contamination; 79% were returned to a different location from where they were purchased. Non-returners often placed cups in recycling bins, notes the NextGen Consortium, which arranged with the local recycler to have those cups recovered (24,000 cups were recovered). A survey of consumers participating in the project found that 82% (613 respondents) were aware their cup was intended to be reused and 81% of local residents who were given a reusable cup reported returning at least one.
OZZI markets a machine that fully automates collection of reusable containers. Photo courtesy Eco-Proudcts
In other reusable foodservice container news, Eco-Products® and OZZI® have partnered on a new multiprong initiative to increase reusables accessibility to businesses, colleges, hospitals and other institutions. Veda™, introduced by EcoProducts in October 2024, is a line of durable and reusable containers equipped with OZZI’s tracking and collection technology. OZZI markets a machine that fully automates collection of reusable containers. More than 300 colleges and universities across the country, including Notre Dame, Florida State and the UC San Diego, have installed the OZZI machine. Diners receive their meals in reusable containers and return them to OZZI Collection Stations — either a manual Drop N’ GO™ box or an automated machine. The containers are then washed, sanitized and prepared for their next use.
