As the pace of life accelerates, takeout food has become a part of many people’s daily lives. However, behind this convenient lifestyle lies a significant environmental problem — tons of disposable packaging waste continues to flood landfills. To address this challenge, Vancouver-based tech company Reusables.com has teamed up with Canada’s Compass Group to provide an innovative solution for the foodservice industry.
Reusables.com’s solution replaces disposable packaging with durable metal or plastic containers, eliminating the waste of packaging paper, plastic cups, and plastic casings, while also reducing the cost of purchasing disposable packaging. When purchasing takeout food, customers can choose to use the reusable containers provided by Reusables.com and enjoy them within a five-day period. Upon returning these containers, customers receive points for future use.
The success of this solution is attributed to the application of passive ultra-high frequency RFID technology. Each reusable container is equipped with an RFID tag, and the unique ID on the tag is associated with relevant data on Reusables.com’s software platform. When customers purchase food, the point-of-sale reader links the container with the customer’s payment information. Over the next few days, customers simply return the containers to designated “smart collection bins.” The RFID reader embedded in the collection bins automatically identifies and updates the container’s status, ensuring accountability associated with the containers.
To ensure a high recycling rate of containers, Reusables.com has taken a series of measures. Firstly, the company strives to provide high-quality containers and services to attract customers and reduce the damage rate. Secondly, the company integrates the solution into the primary campus accreditation platforms of food institutions and higher education institutions through cooperation, thereby expanding the user base and recycling network. Additionally, Reusables.com incentivizes customers to return containers by offering rewards points.
It is worth noting that Reusables.com’s solution not only addresses environmental issues but also emphasizes economic benefits. Since reusable containers are more expensive than disposable packaging, ensuring the recycling rate of containers is crucial. With the support of RFID technology, Reusables.com can monitor the usage and recycling rate of containers in real-time, enabling timely adjustments to strategies and cost optimization. Currently, the majority of Reusables.com’s customers have achieved close to 98% or 99% high recycling rates.
Looking ahead, Reusables.com plans to continue expanding the coverage of its solution and establish partnerships with more collaborators. At the same time, the company will continue to explore new technological means and innovative models to drive environmental changes in the foodservice industry.
Reusables.com’s solution brings a new environmental model to the foodservice industry. By applying RFID technology, the company has successfully addressed the environmental problems caused by traditional disposable packaging while achieving a win-win situation for economic benefits and environmental goals. This innovative solution not only provides customers with more convenient and environmentally friendly takeout food options but also opens up new paths for the sustainable development of the foodservice industry.
This paper is from Ulink Media, Shenzhen, China, the organizer of IOTE EXPO (IoT Expo in China)
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