[CHALLENGE] Breaking down barriers to eliminate single-use, disposable products

As part of the Vancouver, Canada OSCE days challenge, we are brainstorming: how do we break down barriers to eliminate single-use, disposable products?

The production of single-use, disposable products has reached epidemic proportions within the past decade. Consumers flock to their use due to perceptions that these products make life simpler, faster, cleaner, and cheaper…but at what cost to the environment?

Many of these products cannot be recycled and are not designed to be reused, so they end up in the landfill. More garbage is created while valuable resources are being used to make these products.

Barriers to eliminate single-use, disposable products exist throughout the supply chain…from the manufacturers to the suppliers to the consumers. Where and how can we most effectively remove these barriers?

This challenge started as:
-Breaking down barriers to eliminate single-use, disposable products

This challenge ended as:

Describe the evolution of your group’s thought process, what you did during the day:
-following the facilitation format of the pro-action cafe, for each of the three ideas we focused on the quest of the idea, what’s missing, what help do I need, and what next steps we will take

Key things you learned:
-one of the key concepts universal to all 3 ideas is changing public perception that disposable products are “cheap and convenient” to “costly and wasteful”

The practical outcome of this challenge is:
-identification of pilot projects for deposit system for reusable containers

-identification for method to hold individuals accountable for their waste

-need to factor in true and full costs of disposable products (e.g. production, shipping, pick up, disposal, ecological costs, and remove oil subsidies)

The Future: What elements did you decide to: pursue, pivot, purge, pause?
-pursue pilot projects for deposit system for reusable containers

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Hey guys! We’ve been thinking of this in Cape Town too. Do you guys want to partner and co-develop a solution? We were thinking about this problem too.

If we work with small retailers, we could develop a suite of reusable containers for liquids and solids that can be returned to the shop for some items but also can be used to REFILL for other items (ie bulk food containers).
We would have to look at major categories of groceries and see what makes sense for each.

Working with smaller retailers allows us to get easier buyin but the cost may be expensive to get a line of durable packages made. We would have to weigh the pros and cons.

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Hi Gien,

Thanks for your message.

I’ve talked to the Goal 12 team and we’re interested in sharing info about the different
campaigns/companies that are working in our respective locations on eliminating single-use products. However, because barriers to systems change likely differ between locations, combined with our limited availability, we don’t think co-developing a solution will be effective.

One team member suggested:
“My initial thoughts are not that we need to invent any kind of reusable
container but just have people use the ones that exist (there are
already durable straws, mason jars, tiffins, tupperware, napkins, etc).
What is likely to be the bigger hurdle are tackling the barriers to why
they are not in use right now and some of those barriers may be more of
a local/culture/regulatory nature. The kinds of systems changes needed
may not be easily transferrable to another location that may have
different barriers. I think if people had time, it may be best to delve
into the local situation while keeping in touch with others globally
and share the results of any pilots that may run here with them (and
vice versa) so everyone can pick the parts that may work in their
situation.”

An idea that came from our OSCEdays hackathon was developing a mandated deposit system for reusable containers.
e.g. all coffee cups are universal across the different businesses. A customer will pay a deposit for this cup at a business and can return it at another business for their deposit.

Here’s a couple stores in Vancouver that allow you to bring your own containers to refill and might provide some useful ideas:

http://www.zerowastemarket.ca/


www.basicrefill.com/

Surfrider Foundation is working on a campaign to reduce plastic waste from restaurants and
cafes in Vancouver; the Tofino chapter was highly successful at getting
businesses to participate in Tofino.

Let’s keep the dialogue open and continue sharing information.

Good luck in your quest!
Elaine

On Fri, Jun 17, 2016 at 3:54 PM, Gien timothee@unteem.org wrote:

          Gien
          

          June 17

Hey guys! We’ve been thinking of this
in Cape Town too. Do you guys want to partner and co-develop a solution?
We were thinking about this problem too.

If we work with small retailers, we
could develop a suite of reusable containers for liquids and solids that
can be returned to the shop for some items but also can be used to
REFILL for other items (ie bulk food containers).
We would have to look at major categories of groceries and see what makes sense for each.

Working with smaller retailers allows
us to get easier buyin but the cost may be expensive to get a line of
durable packages made. We would have to weigh the pros and cons.

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