Returnable purple cup pilot program delivers green results

A widespread reusable cup pilot program in one California city shows more environmental benefit than single-use plastic alternatives.

Now organizers need to figure out how to make effort more affordable.

A total of 30 Petaluma, Calif., businesses took part in a three-month program in 2024 created by the NextGen Consortium that provided drinks in special purple cups that were returned by customers, and then cleaned for reuse. Now organizers are reporting on their findings.

The project was spearheaded by Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, an investment firm promoting a circular economy. The Petaluma project featured backing by companies including Starbucks, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and restaurant company Yum! Brands.

The consortium describes itself as a multi-year effort to address single-use foodservice packaging waste and is managed by the Center for the Circular Economy.

"The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project demonstrated an ambitious, innovative vision of reuse as an everyday reality, paving the way for the consortium to scale reuse in California and other markets," said Carolina Lobel, senior director at the Center for the Circular Economy, in a statement. "Together, we can scale the solutions that have been proven to work and solve the current open challenges identified in the Petaluma project."

Customers ordering to-go beverages at participating locations were automatically given their beverages in reusable cups. Because the project covered a larger scale, organizers said the positive outcome regarding customer participation "is particularly significant."

A total of 51 percent of the reusable cups were returned for reuse, a total that surpassed the "environmental break-even point, meaning the reusable cups were better for the environment than single-use cups," a report on the project states. The return rate increased to 57 percent in downtown Petaluma, a walkable area.

The report indicates that 81 percent of local residents returned at least one cup during the project, and unreturned cups were often placed in the recycling collection program. A total of 24,000 cups were captured by a local recycler. And some people who received the cups simply kept them for home use, the report states. "Over 220,000 reusable cups successfully returned during 12 weeks, with minimal bin contamination."

More than 60 specialized bins were deployed around Petaluma to allow customers to return their cups.

The project was specifically designed to address to-go cups, which are commonly discarded away from where they were purchased. The report indicates 79 percent of the cups were returned to a different location from purchase.

"Inclusive participation without deposits or penalties made it accessible for everyone to be part of the Project in a low-stakes way," the report said.

Most restaurants and coffee shops in the used multi-brand cups in varying sizes. Starbucks, had its own clear cups with the company's prominent logo as well as a purple panel explaining the program.

The Petaluma project comes at a time when many have become desensitized to single-use packaging waste because of its widespread use. The cups were designed to have "just enough perceived value to be returned," according to the report.

While consumers and business owners both showed acceptance of the program, the report also indicates the higher cost of a returnable program remains an obstacle.

"I love the program and want to continue, but I can't afford paying more than what I spend on disposables today," a participating business owner said in a report quote.

The consortium is now looking at ways to lower cup costs that could include pre-competitive collaboration between businesses to create economies of scale in the collection and reuse operations. The group also is examining approaches to reduce cup loss and optimize washing. Another consortium idea is to seek legislation to accelerate cost-effective reuse systems.

The report, Making Reuse an Everyday Reality: Insights and Impact from the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, is now available.

"The best part was that this project got the whole community involved. Deep public-private partnerships, including commerce and non-profits collaborating, demonstrated that it is possible to launch an inclusive and accessible reuse system that supported our residents," Petaluma Mayor Kevin McDonnell said in a statement.

"People got into it, and it was the talk of the town," he said.

The project previously indicated polypropylene cups would be used for hot drinks and at many locations serving iced drinks. Some locations with soda fountains or iced beverages were to use use high density polyethylene cups.