Choosing a Safe and Sustainable Reusable Serviceware Fleet
A report by Fiona van Petegem (Regenerative Business Development) commissioned by Takeaway Throwaways
DECEMBER 2023
About this report
This report was prepared by Regenerative Business Development. Takeaway Throwaways commissioned the report to support groups in Aotearoa New Zealand who are establishing reusable serviceware systems to procure the most sustainable and safe reusable serviceware fleets possible. Events were the context studied in the report, but most of the findings are generally applicable across a range of hospitality contexts.
The full report
The report provides an evidence-based review of the following key considerations for investing in low-impact, high-quality reusable serviceware fleets:
- environmental impact
- public health safety
- cost and
- functionality.
The report includes a high-level decision-making matrix that applies these considerations in a New Zealand context to commonly used serviceware materials (glass, polypropylene, tritan, stainless steel, melamine, ceramics and enamelled metals). The report also provides a serviceware cost comparison matrix that compares the cost of different serviceware options across materials and at different return rates. Both matrices can be used by anyone in New Zealand looking to invest in a reusable serviceware fleet. The matrices are accompanied by a decision tree that provides an additional guideline for what serviceware works best in different situations.
Acknowledgements
Lead researcher and author: Fiona van Petegem (Regenerate Business Development)
Commissioning organisation: Takeaway Throwaways
Takeaway Throwaways was an organisation formed in 2020 that ran a campaign and petition for the New Zealand government to ban single-use disposable food and drink serviceware, and use waste legislation and targeted investment to require and support the implementation of accessible, reusable alternatives instead. In 2024, Reuse Aotearoa took over Takeaway Throwaways and now hosts the research, submissions and resources Takeaway Throwaways produced on our website.