Chyanne Yoder: Turning the tide on disposable food containers 

Roughly 15% of plastic waste cleaned up along Maine’s coastlines comes from foodware. Chemicals used in plastic production often leach into the environment and pose health risks once absorbed into the body.

Chyanne Yoder, a Ph.D. student at the University of Maine, aims to squash this source of pollution by supporting coastal communities’ efforts to rethink reliance on disposable take-out food packaging. Not only does reusable packaging reduce waste, but it can also save businesses and municipalities on costs. 

Studying anthropology and environmental policy at UMaine, Yoder is working with the Marine Debris Project alongside her doctoral adviser, Cindy Isenhour, professor of anthropology and climate change. The project, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Challenge grant through Maine Sea Grant, seeks to protect Maine’s ocean ecosystems and coastal communities. 

Through close collaboration with local restaurants, municipal representatives and community partners, Yoder and a team of multidisciplinary researchers with the Marine Debris Project are developing a sustainable model for returnable food containers, which became legal in Maine last year. They are collaborating with three coastal communities — Bath, Bar Harbor and South Portland — that were chosen because of proximity to the coast and variety of tourism-dependent food services.

This summer, the team is gathering data and surveying local businesses to learn more about current practices and costs associated with disposable packaging. They are also meeting with local leaders to help them prepare to switch to reusables starting in September 2025. 

While the pilot programs will last just four months, Yoder hopes they can help establish a permanent path forward for coastal communities to utilize reusable systems and reduce marine debris. 

Read the full story from the UMaine Research website. 

Story by Jesse Bifulco, UMaine Research communications intern.

Contact: Erin Miller; erin.miller@maine.edu