![\""Tomorrow's](\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/789\/2026\/01\/Beautifulworld-1024x663.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nReusable packaging reduces the environmental impact of supply chains<\/strong> by consuming less energy and water, producing less solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing demand for new plastic production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reuse is in line with many communities\u2019 sustainability and resilience goals.<\/strong> By supporting reusable food and beverage packaging systems, municipalities can help realize local and state climate action plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reusables reduce pressure on municipal solid waste management.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Reuse works. <\/strong>Communities across the U.S. and the globe have already successfully implemented reusable food packaging systems. Check out these reusable packaging models and real-life case studies.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Less disposable packaging means less waste in your backyard.<\/strong> Help keep your community beautiful by keeping plastic debris out of parks and out of the water.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The bulk of single-use plastic products are associated with food service.<\/a><\/strong> As of 2015, about 39 million tons<\/a> of disposable food and beverage packaging were landfilled each year, with 75% of disposable plastic food serviceware coming from takeout. Trends in the restaurant industry have shown a steady increase in takeout services and an associated rise in food packaging waste. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the use of single-use plastics by nearly 60%<\/a> and post-pandemic figures have yet to decrease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A UMaine survey<\/a> found that food and beverage businesses in Bar Harbor<\/strong> reported using 2,591 single-use containers per month<\/strong> on average; Bath<\/strong> businesses reported using 5,798<\/strong>; and in South Portland<\/strong>, businesses used an average of 3,906<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recycling cannot keep up with the plastics industry.<\/a><\/strong> The U.S. only recycles about 5% of its plastic waste. Many recycling processes consume more<\/em> energy on top of the initial plastic production and create re-emissions. \u201cGreen\u201d alternatives like compostables often have even worse environmental impacts than conventional packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This represents a pressing concern for the well-being of coastal communities <\/strong>as an overwhelming amount of plastic waste ends up in marine environments. Around 100,000 marine animals<\/a> die each year from plastic debris. Over time, plastic debris degrades and leaches chemicals that accumulate in the environment and in food chains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For coastal communities and the seafood industry, ingestion of microplastics is a major concern.<\/strong> For example, emerging research in oyster aquaculture shows that more than 94% of oysters<\/a> harvested globally contain microplastics.<\/p>\n\n\n Reusables reduce litter and save costs for municipalities! Reusable packaging reduces the environmental impact of supply chains by consuming less energy and water, producing less solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing demand for new plastic production. Reuse is in line with many communities\u2019 sustainability and resilience goals. By supporting reusable food and beverage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Community Benefits of Reuse \u2013 %%sitetitle%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"Reusables reduce pressure on municipal solid waste management, in line with many communities\u2019 sustainability and resilience goals.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-40","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"taxonomy_info":[],"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"gdejoy","author_link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/author\/gdejoy\/"},"comment_info":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":447,"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/40\/revisions\/447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
The Problem of Disposability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\""Today's](\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/789\/2026\/01\/Todaysonewaymodel-1024x663.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n![\"economic](\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/789\/2026\/02\/Economic-Benefits-of-Reuse-1-1024x1024.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"environmental](\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/789\/2026\/02\/Environmental-Benefits-of-Reuse-1024x1024.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"health](\"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/reuseme\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/789\/2026\/02\/Health-Benefits-of-Reuse-1024x1024.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"