By Sydney Herold
Correspondent
The College has introduced a new reusable takeout container system at Traditions, an on-campus restaurant located in the Brower Student Center. This pilot program has replaced the previously used disposable containers with reusable tupperware, in an effort to reduce dining waste on campus. The program is operated through Dispatch Goods, a company founded by Lindsay Hoell in 2020 in order to prevent waste from polluting the planet. It is designed to allow students to take food in reusable containers and return them to designated bins after use.
The orange containers are made from food-grade polypropylene, a durable, heat-resistant plastic. This tupperware is free of harmful chemicals including BPA, BPS and PFAS, and is also microwave safe after the lid has been removed.
After using a container, students can return it to any orange Dispatch Goods bin on campus. All bins are marked with a “reusables” label and the Dispatch Goods logo. The program’s frequently asked questions page explains that students who take a container to another building or off campus do not have to return it immediately. Instead, they can bring it back the next time they are on campus.
Students are asked to remove leftover food before returning the tupperware. Rinsing is encouraged, but not required in order to return the containers. Dispatch Goods then transports the tupperware to a commercial washing facility, where they are sanitized before being returned for reuse.
The system is intended to reduce the amount of waste generated by single-use food containers on campus. Dispatch Goods states that washing and reusing its tupperware is more environmentally friendly than using single-use alternatives. The company also explains that producing a compostable container uses about five times more water than washing a reusable one.
Students have had varying reactions to the new system, particularly regarding the convenience of the containers themselves.
Jenica-Liezel Reyes, a junior speech pathology major, said she prefers the tupperware to the previous disposable takeout containers. “I really like them, they hold food a lot better than the previous containers,” Reyes said.
Christian Manzie, a freshman political science major with a pre-law specialization views the new tupperware differently than Reyes. “I am honestly indifferent about them because I think it’s important to have less trash going into our environment, but it can be an inconvenience at times to bring them back,” Manzie said. “It really depends on where you want to bring your food to. Regardless, for me, it’s not really a big deal and everyone will get used to it pretty quickly.”
Reyes’ main concern is the size of the return bins as they can become crowded after busy meal periods.
“I do wish the bins to put [the tupperware] back were bigger because after the lunch rush they tend to get really full,” Reyes said. “My only concern is that the bins to put them back aren’t big enough because Traditions is a popular spot.”
Reyes believes that the reusable system can work if the return infrastructure can be adjusted to accommodate the number of containers being used.
“It’s sustainable, but they have to adjust the space issue first,” said Reyes. “Otherwise people will start throwing them out.”
Manzie shared similar concerns about the sustainability of the reusable tupperware system. “I do think people will simply forget to return the containers and some people may just see it as an inconvenience,” he said. “It could become an issue for Traditions if they start to get lower on the amount of containers.”
For Reyes, the success of the program ultimately depends on how easily students can incorporate it into their routines. Despite this, she feels positively about the potential of the program.
“It’s a matter of how efficient you are going to make it for the students,” Reyes said. “It’s a good system to implement.”
As the College continues implementing the system at Traditions, students are adjusting to a new routine for handling the reusable tupperware. The new system offers an alternative to single-use containers and gives students flexibility in when and where they return them, but its effectiveness depends in part on whether the return process remains convenient.
For now, the tupperware pilot program remains limited to Traditions, giving the College and its students time to see how the system works in practice. As students become more familiar with the container system, the College will be able to assess whether the system is meeting its intended purpose while remaining practical for everyday campus dining.
