We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Global landscape analysis of reuse and refill solutions
Summary
This global landscape analysis catalogued reuse and refill solutions across nine product categories, finding that while hundreds of systems now exist worldwide, scaling these alternatives to meaningfully reduce single-use plastic production remains the central challenge.
One important strategy to address plastic pollution is replacing disposable items with reusable ones and creating systems to support the circulation, cleaning and reuse of these items. The Global Landscape of Reusable Solutions was created to understand the evolution, current state, and potential environmental benefits of reuse and refill solutions being provided in nine distinct categories. The Landscape is a consistently updated dataset created through desktop research by researchers in seven geographic regions and engagement with experts around the world. As of June 10, 2022, the Landscape identified 1,196 solutions operating in 119 countries. The top three categories were 557 Package-Free Shops, 169 Reuse Advocacy Programs (excluding advocacy efforts by for-profit companies in the space), and 155 Reusable Cup and Container Programs. While 52 of the solutions in the global landscape are established or mature, 79.6% (952) are start-ups or small businesses (e.g., Package Free Shops with only one location). Europe has the largest number of reuse solutions with 441, and North America follows with 317. Barriers to growth for reuse solutions include solving for reusable item material and assortment, expanding and integrating reuse infrastructure, willingness of businesses to adopt reuse solutions amid concerns of impact on transaction speed and operations and acceptance by customers; and, in some locations, policies that restrict reusing and refilling containers. Adoption and scaling of reuse solutions can be supported by behavioral campaigns that normalize and promote reuse, better and more available data, sharing examples of successful systems, and increasing knowledge and understanding of reuse system design.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Marine plastic pollution: A systematic review of management strategies through a macroscope approach
Researchers applied a systems-level framework to review 176 studies on marine plastic pollution management, finding that waste collection infrastructure and freshwater pathways are critically understudied and that no existing strategy — from beach cleanup to biomaterials — is scalable enough to meaningfully reverse the plastic crisis.
Trash Talk: WHO Uses Which Reusable Product? User Insights and Design Opportunities for Single-use Alternatives
This multi-country study surveyed use of reusable products as substitutes for single-use plastics, identifying which consumer segments already use reusable alternatives and what design features would make them more broadly adopted.
Accelerating Plastic Circularity: A Critical Assessment of the Pathways and Processes to Circular Plastics
A critical assessment of plastic circularity pathways found that today only 9% of global plastic waste is recycled, with current circularity routes economically unviable, and argues that improving product design and collection and sorting system effectiveness are the most impactful levers for progress.
Addressing the single-use plastic proliferation problem
This review examined the effectiveness of single-use plastic bans as a policy tool for addressing plastic pollution, evaluating evidence on their environmental impact and discussing alternative regulatory approaches. The authors found that while bans have reduced certain plastic categories, broader systemic changes to plastic production and waste management are needed.
Effects and Solutions of Single use Plastic
This review summarizes the harmful environmental effects of single-use plastics at local and global scales and surveys government and scientific solutions being implemented worldwide, arguing that plastic pollution is a global challenge requiring coordinated international action and new material substitutes.