Reusable Transport Packaging Success Stories

The Mercy Brown Bag Program, based out of the Mercy Retirement and Care Center in Oakland, distributes groceries to over 8,000 older adults twice a month, free of charge. The nonprofit purchased 40 reusable pallet wraps to replace disposable plastic wrap used to secure pallets of groceries for transport to senior facilities throughout Alameda County. Staff appreciate that with the new durable wraps they no longer have to cover pallets in multiple layers of plastic stretch wrap, making shipment preparation easier and less strenuous. The reusable wraps eliminate the purchase and disposal of over 27,000 pounds of plastic wrap each year.

Drakes Brewing Company in San Leandro moves pallets with kegs and other materials between facilities at their large production site and to offsite tap rooms. With the help of a StopWaste grant, they replaced the disposable plastic film used to secure loads to the pallets with reusable pallet wraps for heavier loads and with reusable rubber pallet bands for lighter loads, such as empty kegs. In the first year alone, the switch eliminated 290,000 square feet of plastic wrap. In addition to cost savings, the reusable solutions also save time because they are easier to apply and have improved worker safety.

Philz Coffee made weekly shipments of green coffee beans from their logistics warehouse in San Leandro to the Philz Coffee Roasting Plant in Oakland, using wooden pallets that had to be replaced frequently. With the help of a StopWaste grant they purchased 170 heavy duty, reusable plastic pallets to replace the wooden pallets, eliminating the recurring, annual purchase of 3,276 wooden pallets and 65,520 pounds in pallet waste. The reusable pallets stack better and take up less storage space.

Full Belly Farm grows seasonal organic produce and delivers directly to dozens of restaurants, markets, and residential member pickup sites throughout Alameda County. With help from a StopWaste grant, Full Belly Farm purchased 2,000 stackable plastic totes to eliminate the recurring purchase of waxed cardboard boxes for transporting produce. The reusables prevent more than 8,000 waxed cardboard boxes from going to landfill and save the farm over $14,000 in avoided cardboard purchases annually.

Surplus Service is an e-waste recycler located in Fremont, CA with a focus on reuse and repair. Medical and electronic equipment was collected in cardboard gaylord boxes on pallets, and those were then recycled after a single use. These were replaced with sturdy wheeled bins to collect electronics at client sites and stackable reusable plastic bulk containers for use in the warehouse. This switch to reusables saves Surplus Service over $15,000 on avoided packaging costs each year.