UW Food Services’ Eco-Container program lets students take their meals to go, without the waste! In the 2024–2025 academic year, Eco-Containers replaced disposable containers 120,000 times!
The eco-mug program offers a discount (10 cents at our franchises and 20 cents at our other locations) on hot beverages to customers who bring a clean, reusable coffee mug to any UW Food Services location.
How does the eco-container program work?
- Ask for our green eco-container while ordering from one of our participating locations' food stations or pick up an Eco-Container when utilizing one of our self-service stations.
- Once your green eco-container has been filled with your chosen food, proceed to the cash registers to pay for your meal. You will pay a one-time entry fee of $10.00 to join the program and utilize the eco-container while paying for your meal.
- Once you've finished your food, you can return the container to any of our participating locations‘ dining areas.
- When returning your eco-container, notify a nearby cashier so that they may exchange it for a green eco-token card.
- Our staff will properly wash and disinfect returned eco-containers before reusing them in our dining areas.
- The next time you buy a meal in an eco-container, show the cashier the eco-token card, and they will accept it in return for using the container.
- The cycle is then repeated with your eco-container, and you've helped to keep single-use packaging out of landfills!
How can you join the eco-container program?
You can join the program by purchasing your first Eco-Container for a one-time cost of $10.00. By purchasing your first container, you can avoid the cost of using single-use products when you return the container and use another for your next meal!
Treat the Eco-Token carabiner like your Watcard and keep it with you while you're on campus to ensure you have access to it when you purchase a meal to-go from our dining areas. If you lose your Eco-Token card or Eco-Container, you will need to rejoin the program by paying the $10.00 program entry fee again.
Why should you join the eco-container program?
There are a variety of reasons to join the program!
Firstly, eco-friendly reusable food containers significantly reduce waste output. Disposable containers incur waste management costs since they must be processed and disposed of properly. If they are not, these containers just contribute to the rising mountains of garbage within landfills. In comparison, a reusable eco-container can be washed and used repeatedly.
Secondly, after the initial 10-dollar cost of opting into the program, students are saving money on the cost of the disposable containers! The single-use containers provided in our dining areas cost $1.25 per container, which may add up if you eat on campus regularly.
As a result, by opting to reuse with our Eco-Container program, you save money and minimize packaging waste going to landfills! For more information, contact us at foodservices@uwaterloo.ca