Circular Economy Showcase - Reuse Pilots in Office Buildings

How can food service businesses implement a reusable system to reduce single-use plastics in office buildings or small community settings? This final webinar from Sustainability Victoria (SV)'s Reuse Pilots Fund will showcase the reuse systems implemented by Huskee, Cercle and Investa Asset Management. Come away with some tips on fast-tracking sustainability in your organisation.

Why Reuse Pilots?

To help stop plastic pollution, the Victorian Government has banned single-use plastic straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, expanded polystyrene food and drink containers, and cotton bud sticks from February 2023. Sustainability Victoria (SV) is running a business engagement program to support businesses in transitioning away from single-use items. The Reuse Pilots Fund supported 16 pilots across the state by providing over $600,000 of funding to collect data that will inform other businesses on the feasibility of reuse systems in different hospitality settings.

Find out more by reading the Reuse Pilot case studies.

Presenters

Huskee began their journey with the iconic HuskeeCup, made from coffee husk, with the goal to eliminate the need for single-use disposable coffee cups. Their cup exchange system HuskeeSwap is designed to assist cafes and businesses in making reusables as convenient as a single-use takeaway cup service. In collaboration with project partners, Swinburne University Hawthorn and Co-Ground, this pilot focused on implementing a reuse network within a campus and mobile coffee service.

Investa Asset Management set out to reduce the amount of single-use plastics (SUP) used at the premium office building - 567 Collins Street, Melbourne. The pilot implemented the Returnr Marketplace reuse system across nine retailers on site and tested and observed the building community's willingness to use returnable containers.

Cercle's mission is to create the hassle free reusable cup of the future. Their Reuse Pilot aimed to reduce disposable coffee cup waste at the Olderfleet building in Melbourne's CBD. A fleet of reusable cups were deployed along with 'drop pods' for consumers to return their cup in their own office kitchen for collection, washing, and reuse.

Presentations will cover:

• Reuse pilot project design

• Stakeholder engagement strategies

• Challenges/learning/successes

• Costs

• Recommendations

If you would like more information on this webinar, please contact heather.willison@sustainability.vic.gov.au.