Key information from my literature review

Why I chose to move forward with a reusable container program

  1. The tide is turning towards the elimination of single-use items and plastics and the time to act is now.
  2. There is a discrepancy between environmental goals and necessities vs. environmental action in Canada.
  3. The government has set ambitious goals that are necessary and yet challenging to achieve unless small/medium-sized businesses and community members take action.
  4. Plastics, in and of themselves, are not the issue. The focus should be on single-use items and human consumption behaviour in general.
  5. Reusable container programs seem to be the best alternative to using single-use items for three main reasons: (1) it addresses the root problem of human consumption, (2) it makes sense economically, and (3) has a visible impact.
  6. Plastic containers made of PP or PBT are the most eco-efficient alternatives to single-use items based on the LCA of various takeaway food container options.
  7. There is yet to be a succinct/easy way to measure the economic and environmental impact of replacing single-use with reusable containers due to the multitude of factors that influence LCA
  8. Existing case studies of reusable container programs leave us with these key messages: (1) reusable container programs are feasible, (2) creating a visible critical mass is essential, and (3) Reusables and single-use containers need a level playing field.
  9. In order to successfully implement a reusable container program, multi-stakeholder engagement, key barriers to businesses, and the psychology of human behaviour should be considered.

References

Banff and Lake Louise Hospitality Association. (2019, May 28). LET’S START! With Single-Use Items: A Workshop for Banff & Lake Louise Business and Community Leaders. [Summary Report].

Banff Town Council. (2019, Jan). Banff Environmental Master Plan: a 2019-2020 plan for the environment in Banff. The Town of Banff. Retrieved from https://banff.ca/DocumentCenter/View/6263

Burch, S. (2019). Injecting Politics into Business-led Sustainability Innovation: New Data from Small Businesses in Canada. Centre for International Governance Innovation. https://doi:10.2307/resrep24939

Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. (2018, November). Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste: Phase 1. Current priorities, Waste. Retrieved from https://www.ccme.ca/files/Resources/waste/plastics/1289_CCME Canada-wide Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste_EN_June 27-19.pdf