UC Riverside is making a major push to reduce waste with the introduction of reusable meal containers at the Highlander Union Building, or HUB, the most popular campus dining venue.
In recent years, UCR has taken several steps to make its dining venues and operations more sustainable, said Marcus Van Vleet, executive director of Dining and Hospitality Services.
The department began offering reusable options at the Barn and expanded and tested the reusable container program at the Market at North District and Scotty’s Grill and Market over the past two years. The program launched at the HUB food court on Sept. 21, with the start of the fall quarter.
Now, when diners order food at any of the restaurants, they are offered a choice between a reusable plastic container or a disposable one. A $1 charge is added for disposable containers.
(UCR/Stan Lim)
The plastic containers come in grey, green, or clear colors and in different sizes and shapes, and have a unique QR code to track checkout and return. Patrons have up to five days to return the container or they will be charged $5. If they return it within 30 days, the fee is refunded.
The intent is to incentivize customers to choose reusable containers and return them, said Kurt Duffner, director of retail and restaurants for Dining Services.
In testing the program, the department found that customers often wouldn’t return containers if there is no penalty and were less likely to choose the reusable option if the cost was the same, he said.
“We’re not trying to get money out of anybody,” Duffner said. “We want them to be sustainable, and we want the container back so we can continue to be sustainable. This program allows us to do that.”
With the financial incentives, the department found that about half of the customers chose the reusable option and 95% of containers were returned. UCLA, which has a similar program, saw an 80% participation rate in choosing reusable containers, Duffner said.
The department has a dozen locations, listed on the UCR campus map, where customers can conveniently return containers. Locations include in the HUB, the campus bookstore, and the Student Success Center.
Dining Services worked with the restaurant operators at the HUB to get their buy-in to the concept. The department has a dishwasher and has expanded its drying rack for the new container program.
With the HUB averaging between 3,900 to 4,500 customers a day, the department expects a major reduction in solid waste going to landfills. It plans to create a dashboard on its website to monitor progress. Food service workers already report a significant reduction in emptying trash cans at the first two locations where it was tested.
“Our campus has shown when there’s a good cause they will rally behind it,” Van Vleet said.
