Reuse on the rise, spotlight on plastic innovators

Many of the innovations we now take for granted daily consist of single-use plastics, meaning products that can be conveniently disposed of the minute they no longer hold value to the consumer. However, the popularity and ease of the ‘take-make-waste’ economy is not without dire consequences for our planet. In the US alone, it is estimated that the annual volume of plastic waste produced is over 42 million metric tons—only 8.7% of which is recycled. At the current rate, these numbers are set to triple by 2040, since our current waste management system and recycling infrastructure cannot properly manage the volume of virgin plastic produced.

With plastic use ever growing, we need to fix the broken system that has gotten us to this point and prioritize new business models that provide the same functionality and accessibility as single-use plastics without polluting the air, water and soil that both people and wildlife depend on.

An example of such an innovation is reuse, where products are designed with durable, high-quality materials to last multiple uses. Effective reuse systems also prioritize infrastructure that allows reusable items to be efficiently collected, cleaned and circulated back to consumers. Unlike our current throwaway culture, reuse systems can play a measurable role in reducing single-use plastics and halting the flow of plastic into nature.

With our current system, landfilled plastics result in significant losses to the US economy: an estimated average of $7 billion in market value in 2019. Reuse is an effective way to not only slow the rate of new plastic production, but to encourage more mindful consumption, while still catering to the demand for convenience and simplicity for users. In fact, 86% of Americans already agree our economy needs to shift from one that throws things away to one that favors reuse and recycling.

In a continual effort to drive collaborative solutions toward reuse, WWF had the honor of participating in The Reusies 2024, hosted by Upstream this past May at Circularity in Chicago. The annual award show focuses on celebrating the innovators at the forefront of the reuse movement and highlighting the opportunities reuse systems present in changing the course of the plastic pollution crisis. This year the panel of judges was joined by WWF’s Mary Jo Snavely, Director of Plastic Corporate Engagement, who helps drive key partnerships with the private sector to understand and transform their role in the plastic pollution crisis.

WWF applauds the visionary efforts of this year’s winners, both individuals and organizations, and the innovative mindset they exemplify in searching for new solutions to prevent more plastic from entering our ecosystems. Together, this type of widescale collaboration amongst the broad spectrum of stakeholders in the reuse movement is indispensable for the creation of lasting, meaningful impact.

The winners of the 2024 Reusies awards are:

• Maria Gastelumendi – Activist of the Year, The Rising Loafer Cafe
• Kendra Schneider – Activist of the Year, Takeout Takeout
• Alisa Shargorodsky – Activist of the Year, ECHO Systems
• Maryland Durable Medical Equipment Re-Use – Community of the Year, Equipment Reuse
• Plastic Free MKE – Community of the Year, Policy
• Post-Landfill Action Network – Community of the Year, Education on Reuse
• Kadeya – Most Innovative Reuse Company, Food and Beverage
• Cabinet Health – Most Innovative Reuse Company, Consumer Packaged Goods
• Coblrshop – Most Innovative Reuse Company, Fashion and Apparel

Activist winners

Maria Gastelumendi

Founder of The Rising Loafer Cafe in Lafayette, CA, Maria contributes to citywide reuse efforts while also modeling her mission via her business. She has operationalized reuse in all parts of her business, partnering with Foodware To Go for takeout orders and using only reusable foodware onsite—among other creative initiatives like repurposing doors to create her cafe tables. An Indigenous Peruvian immigrant, Maria grew up in a village where she learned the fundamental values of her relationship with food, land, and planet.

Kendra Schneider

Over the past three years, Kendra Schneider has been working hard to create a reusable takeout system—called Takeout Takeout—as well as a broader reuse ecosystem in Lansing, MI—with particular attention to equitable economic access to reuse. Confronting barriers to scale from funding to health code requirements, Kendra has forged ahead with pilots that have saved over 3000 items from landfills so far and has been met with enthusiasm from partner businesses and community members.

Alisa Shargorodsky

As a Sustainable Business Network Board Member and Director of ECHO Systems—a nonprofit network focused on waste reduction—Alisa drives reduce, reuse, and refill initiatives in Philadelphia while juggling other jobs. From leading a speaker series, to drafting policy, to helping street festivals reduce their waste and coordinating reuse with four grocery stores, Alisa is a catalyzing force within the organizations and communities she engages with to accelerate reuse in her city.

Community winners

Maryland Durable Medical Equipment Re-Use

Maryland Department of Aging’s Durable Medical Equipment Re-Use program exists to improve the independence and quality of life of Maryland residents with any illness, injury, or disability through access to free mobility equipment. Since the program began less than 3 years ago, they have saved 33,521 items from landfills, offsetting 1,969.93 metric tons of CO2, while saving individuals and the health care system $3.2 million.

Plastic Free MKE

Passionate community members, small business owners, agencies, local non-profits—all make up the Plastic-Free MKE coalition. Born from an urgent demand for systemic change by groups and individuals, the coalition combined efforts in an attempt to reach a critical mass to address the plastic crisis locally. The City of Milwaukee officially banned single-use plastic straws, and Milwaukee County banned Styrofoam and other plastics in their vendor contracts, thanks in large part to the advocacy of coalition members. They've also established a Lake Friendly program, supporting communities, businesses and spaces as they commit to plastic reduction.

Post-Landfill Action Network

The Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN) equips students with the resources to holistically understand the Waste Crisis and lead solutions on their campuses. Their goals include supporting college campuses in establishing accessible reusable to-go systems for campus dining and empowering and equipping students spearheading these initiatives to navigate bureaucracy and negotiate solutions. Through PLAN’s 10-year history of supporting student activism on college campuses regarding waste, they have assisted in diverting over 12 million pounds of waste and impacted the lives of more than 5 million students.

Most Innovative Companies

Kadeya – Food and Bervage

Kadeya offers a patented beverage kiosk that washes, sanitizes, inspects, and refills bottles onsite, helping eliminate single-use plastic waste primarily at industrial worksites, hydrating essential workers with lowered logistical needs, costs, and safety risks.

Cabinet Health – Consumer Packaged Goods

Cabinet Health is on a mission to eliminate single-use plastic in a technically challenging arena: medical waste, and specifically drug packaging. The company created a refillable system for high-quality over-the-counter medicines and supplements, offers customized and reusable prescription bottles, and supports larger organizations in their transition away from plastic-packaged medicines.

Coblrshop- Fashion and Apparel

Coblrshop’s goal is to make shoe and bag repair easy and accessible, so that repair becomes mainstream once again. They offer a simple solution on the one hand — send in your item, they’ll repair it — while also providing a technology platform to help connect brands with cobblers to continue normalizing repair over buying new.