Kicking off with reusables: The opportunity of the FIFA World Cup 26™ for Canadian events PDF Free Download
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Kicking off with
reusables:
The opportunity of the
FIFA World Cup 26™ for
Canadian events
This report was funded by and completed for Environment and Climate Change Canada,
by the Toronto Environmental Alliance.
June 2025
Acknowledgments
This report was funded by and completed for Environment and Climate
Change Canada, by the Toronto Environmental Alliance.
Lead author, Emily Alfred, Senior Campaigner. Review Sarah Buchanan,
Emmay Mah. With research assistance from Nicola Schmidt and Gabrielle
Mergier. Design by Jessica Gordon, Laura Coulter-Low.
TEA would also like to acknowledge the contributions made by many
external researchers, experts and service providers who shared their
time and expertise.
Researchers and reviewers:
Dr. Rafaela F. Gutierrez PhD; research, analysis and review
Sue Maxwell, Zero Waste BC, Ecoinspire; review
Belinda Li, Mei Mee consulting; research and analysis
Tamara Shulman, Shulman and Associates; advisory review
Reuse experts and municipal stakeholders:
National Zero Waste Council of Canada; Oceana Canada; Canada Plastics
Pact; Reuse Seattle; PR3; reLoop; Upstream Solutions; and municipal staff
at the City of Toronto, City of Vancouver, Metro Vancouver, and City of
Victoria.
Reuse service providers:
Cody Irwin, CEO, ShareWares
Scott Morrison, Manager, Muuse Canada
Jacquie Hutchings, CRO, Friendlier
Megan Takeda-Tully, CEO, Suppli
Charles Binks-Collier and Tyler De Sousa, co-founders, Circulr
Jason Hawkins, CEO, Reusables.com
David Arnaud, CEO and Shabrina Rahman, Ecocup Canada
Heather Watkins and Jocelyn Quarrell, co-founders Bold Reuse
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Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 3
FIFA World Cup 26™..................................................................................................................................4
Cutting Waste at Major Events.........................................................................................................................6
The Case for Reuse: Environmental and Financial benefits................................................................ 7
Reuse instead of single-use................................................................................................................8
Environmental advantages of reuse.....................................................................................................9
Events and venues are ideal for scaling up reuse..............................................................................10
Design of reuse systems.................................................................................................................... 11
Return rates - a critical factor............................................................................................................. 15
Key features of effective reuse systems at events and venues.............................................................. 17
Costs and economics of reusables................................................................................................................ 25
Key factors that affect costs and whether a venue will save money:................................................. 25
Economic impacts and benefits of reuse at events............................................................................ 28
Legacy benefits and the role of ‘anchor’ venues............................................................................................29
Policies that support or enable reuse at events........................................................................................30
Implementation Recommendations for Host Cities.................................................................................. 36
Case Studies.................................................................................................................................... 38
BC Place..................................................................................................................................................39
Pride Toronto.......................................................................................................................................... 41
Evergreen Brickworks........................................................................................................................... 43
Moda Center, Portland........................................................................................................................... 45
Appendix I...................................................................................................................................................... 47
Appendix II..................................................................................................................................................... 49
Appendix III.................................................................................................................................................... 52
Endnotes....................................................................................................................................................... 54
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Introduction
In 2026, Canada, the U.S, and Mexico will host the FIFA
World Cup 26™. This high profile international event
will put a spotlight on host cities, including Toronto
and Vancouver who will host 13 games between them.
This provides an ideal opportunity to leverage the
attention, investment and excitement to create
sustainable legacies from what could otherwise be an
event creating significant waste and climate impacts.
In particular, this provides a pivotal moment to prompt
the shift from single-use to zero waste reusables at
major sports and cultural venues and events.
The goal of this project is to provide supporting
information and case studies to help decision-makers
and stakeholders shift to reusables for food and
drinks. This includes both short term actions at the
upcoming tournament, and the development of lasting
supporting infrastructure and policy.
In this report we reveal important shared learnings
from Canadian venues and event organizers who have
already begun shifting from single-use to reusable
foodware, and from numerous international studies.
We also review key policy trends and developments
that can accelerate the shift to reuse.
We have summarized key characteristics and
considerations for effective reuse at major venues and
events based on experiences within Canada and
around the world.
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The FIFA World Cup 26™
In 2026, the FIFA World Cup 26™ will be co-hosted by 16 cities in North America, with
13 matches hosted in Toronto and Vancouver. This major world sports event provides an
opportunity for Canadian cities to showcase reuse as a viable alternative to single-use
plastic options and to build a legacy of local green jobs in the circular economy.
Toronto and Vancouver are hosting 13 matches at existing stadiums: 6 in Toronto and 7
in Vancouver in June and July. Each host city will also operate a Fan Festival™ to
broadcast live matches and celebrations throughout the tournament from June 11 to
July 19. These festivals will include food and drink and will have a minimum capacity of
15,000, with expected total attendance over the tournament in the millions.
The tournament and events will bring large audiences, as well as large volumes of food
and drinks for millions of visitors. The decisions made now could have a big impact on
the amount of waste that is created - or avoided - as part of the event legacy, and move
Canada towards a more sustainable event future.
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Host City venues at a glance
Toronto
Toronto Stadium - currently operating as BMO Field - municipally owned and managed
under contract by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE)
● Open air stadium with 45,000 seats1
● Expected attendance over 270.000 for all 6 games
Toronto Fan Festival™ - at the municipally-owned Fort York and The Bentway
● Outdoor event grounds with 25,000 capacity
● Expected attendance of 800,000 local and tourist visitors over the full tournament2
● Includes broadcast screen, performance stage, multiple food and drink vendors
Vancouver
BC Place - provincially owned and managed by Pavilion Corporation (PavCo), a crown
corporation
● Major stadium with 54,000 seats
● Expected attendance over 378,000 for all 7 games
Vancouver Fan Festival™ - at the municipally-owned Pacific National Exhibition grounds
(PNE)
● Outdoor public event grounds with 15,000 capacity
● Expected attendance of half a million or more visits over the full tournament
● Includes broadcast screen, amphitheatre, multiple food and drink vendors
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Cutting Waste at Major Events
Many festivals are taking steps to reduce their environmental impact including the
waste generated by their events. FIFA® has outlined their sustainability goals and has
required each host city to develop a sustainability plan that meets these goals while
also considering local priorities.3
A key area of focus for many major event organizers is the waste created from food and
beverage services for fans and athletes.
● Mega sports events can generate large amounts of waste, some estimates as
high as 4 to 7 kg of waste per person.4
● The largest category of this waste is food and organics, and the second largest
is single-use packaging and foodware to serve drinks and food.
● A large US stadium hosting 300 events per year could use more than 5.4 million
single-use cups.5
● Managing site litter, waste and cleaning is a major cost for event organizers.6
At the same time, there is growing attention on the environmental harms of single-use
plastic foodware and packaging around the world. Consumers and fans want more
sustainable options, and policy makers have developed regulations to ban or reduce
certain materials and uses (see section on policy options later).
In response, major sporting associations and events around the world have developed
strategies to reduce waste – including improving recycling at events, reducing food
waste and providing composting, and reducing single-use items when possible. For
example:
● The Green Sports Alliance released a Reuse Playbook including guidance and
examples of major sporting events and venues that have adopted reusable
foodware.7
● A joint letter from more than 100 elite athletes and sporting associations called
on major event sponsors Coca-Cola and Pepsi to adopt reuse and reduce
single-use plastic.8
● The International Olympic Committee developed a waste and single-use plastic
strategy, and, despite criticisms that they didn’t go far enough*, the Paris
Olympics was the largest event to use reusables for food and drink to date.9
*The Paris Olympics reported a 50% reduction in single-use plastic, but were widely critiqued for
prevalence of single-use plastic bottles, including pouring drinks from bottles into reusable cups.
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The Case for Reuse: Environmental and Financial
benefits
In summer 2026, this major international event will bring hundreds of thousands of
visitors, both local and tourists, to Toronto and Vancouver for FIFA World Cup 26™
matches and Fan Festival™ celebrations. Swapping single-use cups for reusable
options at the events would have a major impact.
Adopting reusable cups instead of single-use in Toronto and Vancouver for FIFA
World Cup 26™ in stadiums and Fan Festival™ could prevent 2.3 million
disposables, avoiding 43.6 tonnes of waste.
See Appendix II for further discussion of assumptions, and further notes on costs
Swapping Single-Use for Reuse
Toronto
Vancouver
Toronto Stadium
6 games - 45,000 attendance
BC Place
7 games - 54,000 attendance
● Avoid 540,000 disposables (90,000 per game)
● Prevent 9.7 tonnes of waste
● Spend $108,000 less on cups
● Avoid 756,000 disposables (108,000 per game)
● Prevent 13.6 tonnes of waste
● Spend $151,000 less on cups
Fan Festival™ - 25-30 days
Average 25,000 visits per day
Fan Festival™ - 25-30 days
Average 15,000 visits per day
● Avoid 625,000 disposables
● Prevent nearly 11.25 tonnes of waste
● Save $125,000 on cups
● Avoid 375,000 disposables
● Prevent 6.75 tonnes of waste
● Save $75,000 on cups
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Reuse instead of single-use
Across North America, a number of major venues have looked for alternatives to
single-use plastic, and swapped plastic cups with single-use aluminum, or single-use
cups made of ‘compostable’ plastic. Unfortunately, analysis shows that aluminum and
compostable materials can cost more, and have a greater environmental footprint than
single-use plastic (see the next section below).
Simply swapping one single-use item for another does not address the real
environmental issues: the upstream material, water and energy inputs, as well as
pollution and environmental impacts of producing new single-use items, and the
downstream impacts of waste.
The best way to eliminate waste is to replace single-use cups and
foodware with durable, reusable cups and dishes that can be returned
after use, washed and reused dozens of times.
The problems with single-use foodware and packaging
● Single-use items made of any material have a significant environmental impact: the upstream
resource and energy inputs, as well as pollution impacts of producing new single-use items as well
as the downstream impacts of waste.
● Single-use plastic is primarily made of fossil fuels, and the upstream impacts include carbon
emissions, pollution, and health impacts of extraction, transport and processing.
● Single-use aluminum foodware, while recyclable, has an extremely high carbon footprint for
production.10
● Paper and ‘compostable’ foodware made of plants can have a higher carbon footprint than other
materials.11 Producing plant-based materials also puts pressure on farmland or natural habitats, and
requires significant inputs of water and fertilizer.
● Event foodware and packaging is highly contaminated with food and liquids, contaminating and
downgrading recycling streams.
● Plastics are difficult to recycle, with only 9% of plastics recycled in Canada - recycling rates are
particularly low for the non-residential waste sector.12
● Very few facilities in Canada are able to effectively process foodware labelled ‘compostable’;
materials require specific conditions and may need to undergo multiple cycles through the processor
to break down, increasing the cost and resources needed.13
● Many foodware items, including plastic, and coated paper items contain toxic additives such as
plasticizers or PFAs non-stick coatings that can leach into food and drinks or the environment, and
complicate recyclability or compostability.14
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Environmental advantages of reuse
Reusable foodware is made of more durable materials - glass, metal or plastic - in order
to withstand repeated use and high-temperature washing. Though these more durable
materials require more upfront resources, and ongoing water and energy inputs,
multiple studies have concluded that reusable items are environmentally better than
single-use in any form. These conclusions are based on detailed Life Cycle
Assessments (LCA), that look at the full upstream resource inputs and pollution, the
impacts of washing and use, and the downstream waste impacts of single-use items in
comparison to reusable options.15
Reusable cups have a lower impact than single-use cups at events. Upstream Solutions,
a non-profit reuse advocacy organization, commissioned an LCA looking at the most
common types of single-use cups used at major sports and cultural events.16 They
compared single-use cups made of plastic, aluminum and compostable plastic with
reusable cups made of polypropylene and stainless steel. The LCA considered the
upstream materials extraction and manufacturing, transportation energy, and the water
and energy needs for washing reusables.
The LCAs show that, when reused, all
reusables eventually reach a
break-even point after which their
environmental impact is lower than
that of a single-use item. Upstream’s
analysis found the energy and carbon
break-even point for reusable plastic
cups is 2 or 3 uses compared to
single-use aluminum, or 3 uses
compared to ‘compostable’ or
single-use plastic cups. At just 4
use-cycles, a reusable cup has a
lower environmental impact than all
single-use options.
Figure 1: Single-use aluminum has a carbon
footprint greater than single-use plastic and
PLA cups, due to the very high energy inputs
required to process and manufacture aluminum.
Source: Upstream “Reuse Wins at Events” 17
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Looking just at carbon emissions of single-use and reusable cups, single-use aluminum has the highest
carbon footprint, and reusable cups have a lower footprint when re-used.
Notably, single-use aluminum cups, and ‘compostable’ plastic cups made of polylactic acid (PLA) have a
greater carbon footprint than reusable cups, even when dishwashing and transportation is included.
Additionally, even when single-use plastic or aluminum cups are recycled, or PLA cups are composted,
there is minimal change to the break-even point or the overall carbon impact, as the greatest carbon
impact occurs during the upstream materials extraction and manufacturing processes.
Events and venues are ideal for scaling
up reuse
Stadiums, arenas and public festivals in particular are already
grappling with large volumes of waste and rising waste costs.
Fortunately, a number of reuse analysts have identified that
events and venues offer the best opportunities for rapid
adoption of reusable foodware.18 At the same time, reuse
service providers in Canada confirm that larger, closed venues
are a major area of growth and focus due to the high volumes.
Events and venues are ideal due to economies of scale,
audience size and centralized management:
● Events serve a high volume of food and drink to large
audiences
● Contained and restricted (ticketed) areas reduce or
eliminate the option for foodware to leave the site,
resulting in higher returns
● Training of staff and vendors can be streamlined
● Centralized food service management can support
standardization of foodware
● Centralized management of washing and waste
management
● Efficiencies in collection, washing and distribution
when compared to open-loop systems with multiple
locations
● Opportunity for streamlined communications and
education of attendees to adopt the program
In addition, major events offer an opportunity to shift behaviour, attitudes and
expectations of large numbers of audiences and participants. Upstream’s Jennifer
Carrigan notes that major events and cultural moments can create significant memories
and make an impression on people, such that introducing a new sustainability action at
a major event can have a bigger impact.19
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Design of reuse systems
The food service contexts affect system design and results:
Open-loop systems - In Canada, reuse services providers serve restaurants and grocery stores in
an open-loop system. Reusable containers or cups are available for food and drink such as
take-out of prepared food to be taken off-site. Customers return the container to participating
businesses. These may include a deposit, or a charge for non-returned items.
Closed-loop systems - In closed-loop systems, reusables are used for food and drink served and
consumed on-site in venues such as event spaces, sports venues, or restricted access festivals. In
Canada, a number of reuse services operate and are expanding into closed-loop systems like
events and venues as they move back to, or adopt reusable options.*
In-house vs. third-party reuse services
Reusable foodware for events and venues can be
managed in-house by the venue, or by a third-party
reuse services vendor. In-house management is
more common in regions with more experience and
established reuse programs. For example, in some
parts of the European Union, venues are
purchasing and managing their own reusable
foodware, and installing on-site washing
infrastructure.20†
In-house management requires a bigger upfront
investment, but can reduce inventory needs due to
faster wash and turnover time, reduce
transportation emissions, and labour costs may be
minimal if washing is incorporated into cleaning
and food and beverage operations.
*This discussion is focused on venues and events that
currently use single-use foodware, however it is important to note that durable reusable foodware has
been the norm in many closed-loop systems, such as cafeterias, and conference centres.
†AEG has installed wash infrastructure for reusable cups at three venues in Germany, avoiding over 3
million single-use cups in one year. See the AEG case study in the Green Sports Alliance Reuse Guide, p63.
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In Canada and the US, most venues are using third-party reuse service providers to
implement and maintain a program, and to manage and wash the reusable cups and
foodware.
Third-party reuse services collect and wash reusables off-site in high-efficiency
specialized washing machines, typically on a per-item fee. These washing facilities can
be designed to wash, sanitize and dry plastic foodware. Most reuse service providers
also have a pool of unbranded (or self-branded) cups and foodware that can be rented
to venues.
Figure 2: Many venues and events use third party reuse services. Clean reusable foodware is served to customers,
customers return foodware to designated collection points and the reuse service provider collects the foodware to
be washed and inspected off-site. Reuse services also provide tracking and metrics on return rates.
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Rental vs. ownership
Venues and events can either purchase and own custom foodware, or rent unbranded
foodware from the reuse provider. Many reuse service vendors charge the same
per-item service fee for washing whether or not the cups are rented from them or
owned by the client.
In Canada and the US, there is a mix of experiences - some venues are choosing to use
pooled cups, however some larger venues are choosing to purchase their own for
ongoing use.
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Advantages and disadvantages of reusable foodware rental and ownership:
Renting from third-party provider
In-house purchase
Venue uses unbranded pooled cups and
foodware provided by a reuse service
provider
Venue purchases cups and foodware for their
own use - can include custom designs
Benefits
● Lower upfront costs
● Rental fee includes washing,
tracking and quality control
● Flexible inventory for variations in
event size
● Better environmental outcomes as
each item can be used by more
venues
● Unbranded cups have higher return
rates
● Can use third-party reuse service for
washing, tracking and quality control
or can wash in-house
● Can use in-house washing
● May have lower replacement fees for
lost items as venue is bulk purchaser
● Allows custom designs that offer
branding for event and venue
Challenges
● May have higher replacement fees
for lost items set by reuse service
provider
● Higher upfront costs
● Custom designs can result in higher
losses as fans take them as souvenirs
Examples
● BC Place and Evergreen Brick
Works used unbranded cups and
dishes (see case studies)
● Friendlier’s pool of cups and
containers are in rotation at dozens
of cafeterias, campuses, and a
growing number of sports venues.
● Custom designed cups are used by Pride
Toronto and the Rip City Reuse at the
Moda Centre (see case studies)
● Ecocup and Cupko provide rental cups
or sale of custom cups.
Canadian wash infrastructure
Across Canada, festivals with audiences in the tens of thousands, and large venues,
have tested and fully implemented a range of reusable foodware systems in
partnership with third-party reuse service providers. Interviews, and a review of
reuse service providers, confirms that reuse services in Canada, while emerging,
are capable and ready to rapidly expand to serve major events and venues.
Multiple Canadian reuse service providers reported that they
make use of existing wash infrastructure at
restaurants, cafeterias and other catering
facilities for pilot phases in new areas, for
one-off events, or for surge capacity in times
of high demand. For example, a pilot project
started in 2024 with returnable refillable
packaging by Reusables.com in the Ottawa
area partnered with an airline catering
company Gate Gourmet for washing
reusables.21
In the last year, multiple reuse services have
also expanded investments in specialized
high-volume, high-efficiency wash hubs.22
Customized wash hubs work at higher
capacity and include specialized high-speed
drying facilities for plastics, space for
inspections and quality control.
The National Wash Network links the existing
wash hubs among three reuse service
providers in different regions of the country,
ensuring that reuse services in each area can
access and work with local wash facilities as
needed.
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Return rates - a critical factor
Some reusable foodware items are promoted as being durable enough to be used,
washed and reused hundreds, or thousands of times. However, the benefits of reuse is
only achieved if those items are not mis-sorted into the garbage or recycling, or taken
home as souvenirs. Put simply, reusables are better only if they are reused enough
times to surpass the environmental break-even point (discussed in previous section).
The environmental benefits continue and accumulate with each use-cycle.
To achieve a number of use-cycles, reusables must be returned, and this requires a
robust and effective collection system with high return rates. While a return rate of
80% may sound high, the fact is that this can mean an item will be used an average of
only 5 times. As the return rate has such a critical impact on the effectiveness, and
financial sustainability of a system, industry experts, including those developing the
PR3 international reuse standards, suggest that reuse systems should aim for, and
achieve, return rates of 90% or higher.23 .
Figure 3: If a reusable system starts with 100 cups and has an 80% return rate: 20 cups are used only once and then
lost; after the next cycle, 16 cups are lost, only used twice; after the third cycle, 12 cups are lost etc. In the end, of the
initial 100, while a few cups may be used many times, the average use-cycles is only 5 for each item.
If the return rate increases to 95%, the average cup is used 20 times.
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Return rates in reality
Some mature reuse systems in EU countries that have had reusables in place for a
number of years boast return rates consistently over 95%. Smaller scale systems in
Canada, for example open-loop systems with high quality takeout cups or containers
secured with a credit card also achieve high return rates.
However, the adoption of reusable cups and foodware at major events and venues in
Canada and the US are in pilot and early stages, and many see lower return rates.
Return rates of 70% or lower are typical on first roll out. Foodware is lost due to
customer mis-sorting of reusables into recycling or garbage bins, errors by staff that
send reusables to recycling or garbage, and customer misunderstandings and keeping
the reusables as a souvenir. This is a particular consideration for sports where souvenir
cups are common for special events, as fans may misunderstand or expect that they
can keep the cup.24
● For example, Moda Center’s Rip City Reuse program reports that return rates are
typically lower than usual for one-off events and concerts, a pattern also noted for BC
Place’s reusable cups. This is attributed to a combination of fans keeping cups as a
souvenir, and sorting errors. However, Moda Center saw a steady increase in return
rates as staff and regular fans for games got accustomed to the program.
● Pride Toronto cut their loss rate in half in their second year, increasing from a 70% to
85% return rate after implementing more collections, staff training and
communications.
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Key features of effective
reuse systems at events and
venues
Reuse at events is an emerging area, however examples from across Canada, US
stadiums and international events with more established reuse systems demonstrate
key factors for effective implementation. These insights can help shape reuse
strategies in cities like Toronto and Vancouver.
Key features of effective reuse systems at events and venues:
1. Start with pilot tests and staged roll-outs
2. Use reusables to replace all single-use foodware and drink packaging
3. Custom cups and foodware reduce the environmental benefits
4. Make returns easy and accessible
5. Consider deposits carefully, especially for sports and large audiences
6. Invest in ongoing promotion and education
7. Involve all staff and decision-makers
8. Plan for post-event reusable recovery from waste streams
1. Start with pilot tests and staged roll-outs
Pilot tests and staged roll-out can identify challenges and improve internal operations prior to full
implementation.
Many venues and event organizers start with pilot tests in limited areas, such as
premium spaces, before expanding to the full venue. Pilot tests can provide valuable
information about staff procedures, collection systems, return rates and customer
response to identify areas for improvement.
See case studies about BC Place, Moda Center and the Evergreen Brick Works for
examples of programs that started with pilot tests and staged roll-out.
However, it’s important to note that pilots and preliminary phases may not represent
the actual benefits and potential of a full program: new programs typically have
lower return rates, and may have higher costs. Pilots are especially important in
regions where reuse services are emerging as in Canada. Bold Reuse noted that
after rolling out reusables to multiple venues in the US, they have enough
experience to bypass a pilot phase in new venues.
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2. Use reusables to replace all single-use foodware and drink packaging
● Reusable cups systems are more effective when they replace all single-use cups and
single-use bottles and cans
● Installing equipment to serve draft beer and fountain soft drinks creates substantially less
waste in the long term
● Water fountains and bottle refill stations can dramatically reduce single-use packaging
In many venues, reusable cups replace only a portion of the beverages served -
typically draft beer, and sometimes fountain soft drinks - while many drinks are still
served in single-use cans or single-use plastic bottles.*
To truly achieve the environmental benefits of reusables, and take advantage of
economies of scale, reusables should be expanded to all areas of a venue, and used
for both alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks, and to replace drinks in single-use
packaging. Consistency in how drinks are served will reduce guest confusion and
mis-sorting, and conveys to fans the commitment of the venue and event to
sustainability.
A clear example is the 2024 Paris Olympics: the event reports that it cut the use of
single-use plastic by 52%, but Coca-Cola, the drink sponsor, was widely criticised
for serving ⅔rds of the 9.6 million drinks in single-use plastic bottles. In some
cases, the single-use plastic bottles were poured into reusable cups. While Coke
stated this ensured bottles were recycled, this also means that many drinks had an
increased environmental impact: from both the single-use plastic packaging and
washing of the reusable cups.25
Providing refill fountains for drinks and water refill stations can also replace
single-use water bottles, further reducing event waste. Many major venues,
including the Toronto Stadium and BC Place, have at least one water bottle filler and
drinking fountain, and permit fans to bring empty water bottles. Providing water
refill stations, allowing fans to bring their own bottle, and offering free access to
water is required by law in a number of jurisdictions around the world (See the
section on policies below). The Paris Olympics surveyed attendees and found that
80% reported bringing a refillable water bottle with them due to the widespread
promotion and availability of water refill stations.26
*Many venues, including BC Place, Pride, Moda Center and others, serve a portion of drinks in
pre-packaged single-use bottles or cans.
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3. Custom cups and foodware reduce the environmental benefits
● Cup and foodware quality is important for both customer experience and durability
● Custom designs offer branding and sponsorship opportunities, but can quickly become
souvenirs, leading to high loss rates
Venues and events need to strike a balance when choosing reusable foodware and
cups. Materials need to stand up to multiple uses and high-temperature washing,
and also meet food service needs related to temperature and food presentation.27
Lower cost materials that are too flimsy may be mistaken for single-use and be
mis-sorted into the garbage or recycling.
Reusables with attractive designs risks them being seen as take-home souvenirs,
and this is especially a challenge with sports events where souvenir and special
edition cups are common. This lowers the return rates and undermines the
environmental benefits of reusables. For example, the Paris Olympics and the UEFA
Champions League final 2024 had custom designed reusable cups that quickly
became collectable souvenirs for fans.28
Most third-party reuse service providers can provide unbranded or generic
reusables for lease by a venue or event. These items may include information about
the return process and branding from the reuse service. The unbranded reusables
can be reused many times by multiple vendors and events, increasing the
environmental benefits.
The Pride Toronto festival chose an attractive custom design for their festival cups and confirmed
that many guests and even staff expressed how beautiful the cups are and asked about buying them.
Despite the interest, Pride was able to increase return rates in its second year. Staff noted that in
future, a shared pool of event cups among a number of cultural events and festivals could provide
lower costs, greater environmental benefits but would require a less custom design (see Pride
Toronto Case Study).
Ecocup, a reuse service vendor and cup supplier based in Montreal reports that
some events choose a mix: they purchase a limited run of custom designed cups,
and supplement this with Ecocup’s unbranded cups for the majority of drinks. This
ensures there are enough reusable cups for fans to enjoy multiple drinks, keeps the
custom cup costs down, while providing some souvenir and sponsorship options.29
If opting for custom reusables, selecting designs that can be used in multiple years,
or by other venues will reduce costs and increase the environmental benefit. For
example, avoiding trademarked logos, dates, or sponsorships.
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4. Make returns easy and accessible
● Returning the reusables should be as easy as sorting waste and recycling
● Prominent, flexible and widespread collection points can increase return rates
Venues and events should ensure that collection points for reusable foodware are
clear, identifiable and widespread. The reusable collection points should be
available wherever there is a waste, recycling and compost bin to ensure there is
always an option for correct sorting. This can be with a multi-compartment or
specialty bin. For example, Moda Center simply re-branded one portion of an
existing multi-compartment waste bin to accept reusables (see Moda Center Case
Study).
Collection points should include clear signs and information, but can also use
symbols and colours.
Flexibility in collection points can also assist with changing traffic flows of the
audience - for example Pride Toronto had collection bins near the bar in the beer
garden so customers can return cups when ordering their next drink. The bins could
be moved closer to the exit at the end of the evening to collect cups as guests leave
(see Pride Toronto Case Study).
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5. Consider deposits carefully, especially for sports and large audiences
● Sports events and venues have found deposits can be difficult and a frustration for attendees
● Some festivals and markets have been able to use deposits to get high return rates
Deposits are designed to increase return rates and reduce cup losses by creating
a direct incentive for returning the item. Deposit systems may be cash based, or
require customers create an account to receive the deposit. While deposits are
common for open-loop systems with takeout cups and foodware in Canada, they
are not typically used in sports venues.30
A number of major sports venues have chosen not to charge deposits due to the
challenges of being a high traffic and high volume venue:
● Can increase ordering time and sticker price at point of purchase
● Can cause frustration if there are extra steps to claim refund
● Delays and bottlenecks to process refunds as crowds leave a venue
● Can create a sense that fans have ‘paid’ for the cup and can take it home
● May require attendees to create accounts or install apps to manage deposits
A customer survey of the reusable cup system at an arena at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC)
found that less than 30% of customers claimed their deposit, and there were consistent
complaints about the time needed for the cup return process. In May 2024, SEC removed all
deposits from the cups.31
Deposits are more commonly used in the EU at sports and cultural events, and at
music festivals in Montreal and the US due to these advantages:
● Higher return rates
● Unredeemed deposits can cover the cost of lost items
● With the right design and steady audience flows, returns can be easy
● Deposits can be tailored to the event specifics - for example, at a cashless
event or music festival that relies on attendees to pay with a custom RFID
wristband
In some systems, for example the Pikniq Electronik music festival in Montreal, a
deposit is charged only once, and customers exchange the cup for a clean one
each time they order a new drink. This reduces some of the logistics (and
administrative costs) of charging and refunding deposits on each order.32
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6. Invest in ongoing promotion and education
● Promotion is especially critical when programs are introduced to new audiences
● Clear information about the system is necessary to achieve high return rates, and must go
beyond signs and collection bins
Venues and events must consider promotion and education with customers about
the reusable program as one of the most critical factors in the program's success.
Most venues and reuse programs provide clear collection bins, signs at waste
stations and information at point of sale. The more effective programs take
additional steps and make promotion an ongoing message, incorporating
promotion and information about the cups into event screens, announcements and
scripts for hosts. Incentives and rewards can also provide another opportunity to
engage customers in understanding and thinking about the program (see Pride
Toronto Case Study for an outline of steps taken to increase promotion and
improve return rates).
Communications are especially important when programs are introduced to a
venue, and for audiences that haven’t encountered the system, for example
one-off events and concerts. Reuse providers and venues noted that return rates
had noticeable decreases at special events and concerts with new audiences
when compared to fans that regularly attend games for a home team.33
Promotion of the sustainability goals and benefits can also build a supportive culture among fans.
Examples:
● The Portland Trail Blazers NBA team celebrates milestones of single-use cups avoided by their reusable
cup program with announcements and celebrations on the Jumbotron. Customers are thanked for being
part of a leading sustainability program (see Moda Center Case Study).
● Pride Toronto cut its loss rate in half, going from a 70% to 85%
return rate in its second year after adding more communications,
stage scripts for event announcers, and increasing the number of
visible collection bins.
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7. Involve all staff and decision makers
● Ensure all staff are introduced to, understand, and receive ongoing training about the
reusables
● Provide ongoing communications and feedback opportunities for staff to ensure that gaps
are identified and improvements made quickly
Most reusable cup and foodware programs plan for an initial launch period of training
and communications with staff to ensure everyone from the venue managers and
accountants to food servers, cleaning, operations, security and other staff understand
and recognize the reusables. Event staff can also play a key role in communicating with
guests about the system.
However, experiences have shown that the most effective programs not only secure full
buy-in from all stakeholders, but provide ongoing and regular communications, training
and evaluation with all staff. This is important to ensure all staff understand the system,
and that temporary or part-time staff are not missed in training.
Ongoing communication should also ensure that there are regular channels for staff to
provide feedback on what they are experiencing to identify problem areas or
opportunities for improvement. The Green Sports Alliance recommends rolling out
reusables to back-of-house staff and athlete eating areas first to help all participants
understand and feel part of the reusable foodware program success.34
Multiple venues and reuse service providers described incidents where changes to
cleaning and other operations staff resulted in reusable cup losses. The new staff weren’t
informed about the reusable
cups collection system and
mistakenly sent them to
garbage or recycling. At
another public festival, all
staff were informed about the
program, and were able to
assist with explaining how it
works and the benefits - for
example, site security assisted
with preventing cup losses as
fans left the site (see Pride
Toronto Case Study).
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8. Plan for post-event reusable recovery from waste streams
● Staff cleaning plans should include a sweep of the venue to retrieve reusables left behind by attendees
● A post-event sorting of waste can retrieve valuable reusables and information
Despite clear communications, accessible collection points, and various incentives
to recover the reusables, a portion may still end up in the waste or recycling
stream. To retrieve reusables left behind in the stands, or mis-sorted by fans,
adjustments to staff duties and some additional time to review and sort waste is
worthwhile.
Pride Toronto and the Moda Center both reported that following the event, a team
is tasked to help review the waste and recycling bags and improve sorting. Both
report that the additional staff time was worthwhile, considering the savings in
waste costs as reusables are recovered, along with additional single-use bottle
and can recyclables and containers with deposits.
Moda Center’s post-event hand sorting keeps losses down and also yields
valuable information - audits found that less than 10% of the cups were
ending up in garbage or recycling, confirming that the other 10% or more
of lost cups were being taken home by fans as souvenirs (see case study).
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Costs and economics of
reusables
Pilot studies and full programs show varied experiences with the cost of reusables
versus single-use foodware. The US Clean Water Fund’s ReThink Disposable project
found savings across the board for restaurants, music venues and schools that replaced
single-use with disposables.35 The Green Sports Alliance advises that some larger
venues find that reusables cost more, especially in the early implementation or pilot
phase when return rates may be low.
Key factors that affect costs and whether a venue
will save money:
1. The return rate and the replacement cost
The return rate of foodware has a major impact on the cost and financial
sustainability of the program. Lost foodware needs to be replaced - if the
foodware is purchased and owned by the venue, replacement cost depends
on the bulk purchase price. If rented from a reuse service provider, fees can
range from $0.20 to over $2.00 per item depending on the item and the
contract. Some reuse services charge a deposit of $0.50 per item that the
venue can pass onto customers; unredeemed deposits cover the loss fee.36
See notes above on ‘Return Rate’ for further explanation of the impact of
return rates.
2. The comparative cost of the single-use foodware or packaging
Single-use cups made of aluminum, or foodware labelled ‘compostable’
typically have prices - ranging from 0.35 each to 0.85 cents or higher
depending on volumes and customized branding. Single-use plastic or paper
cups have costs ranging from 0.15 to 0.25 cents or higher depending on the
size.37 Savings are harder to calculate when reusable cups replace
pre-packaged drinks in plastic bottles and cans, as fountain soft-drinks and
draft beer generally provide a higher profit margin per drink, but may have
additional labour costs.38
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3. Third-party reuse services for washing and item tracking
The majority of reusable foodware programs at major venues in North
America use third-party reuse service providers to manage washing,
tracking, and quality control of the foodware. Typical per-item wash and
management fees are in the range of $0.20 to $0.35 per item depending on
volumes, similar or lower than the cost of premium single-use items.39
Additional optional fees may be charged for provision and cleaning of
storage totes, collection bins or other associated costs.
4. Staff costs and time
Interviews and case studies found the majority of venues and events did not
increase in-house staffing costs after introducing reusables, as reuse-related
tasks including liaising with vendors and staff, cleaning and collections are
accommodated by simply shifting tasks of the existing workforce. A few
venues noted that cleaning tasks decreased due to less litter and waste
collection.40
Adding post-event waste sorting may increase labour costs, though a few
venues noted this was off-set by the savings from increased diversion,
reduced waste and recovered reusable items (see Pride Toronto and Moda
Center Case Studies).
For venues that manage washing on-site, the US project ReThink Disposable
found that many cafeterias and campuses that purchased reusables and
managed washing in-house still reported net cost reductions after
accounting for labour for washing.41
5. Local waste costs
Reduced single-use waste, recycling or organics volumes can lower hauling
fees, however the cost of private waste management is typically quite low in
Canada, in the range of $100-150 per tonne. Most venues don’t track waste
weight, composition or hauling costs in sufficient detail (see limitations notes
below). The Moda Center program estimates that, based on weight, avoiding
750,000 single-use cups saved $2000 on waste fees (see Moda Center Case
Study).
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Savings opportunities and cost offsets
1. Sponsorship opportunities
Reusable foodware can also attract a range of sponsorship
opportunities, such as logos printed on cups, sponsorship of water
refill stations, support for communications and promotion of the
program, or with loyalty programs and rewards related to cup returns
and deposits.
For example, the UEFA Euro cup final in 2024 had reusable cups
sponsored by Pepsi, with a chance to win prizes for cup returns.42 Pride
Toronto’s custom cups and collection bins were subsidized by event
sponsors whose logos appear on those reusables (see case study). The
Canada Tennis Open provided water refill stations for attendees with
room for sponsor messages on each station.
The use of technology and apps to engage with fans provides
additional opportunities to incentivize returns with rewards and the
opportunity for sponsorship messages. For example, return incentives
can include prizes provided by sponsors, and scannable QR codes can
lead to sponsor messages.43
2. Use of deposits or sustainability fees
Deposits and sustainability fees are not common at major sports
venues in North America, and can be more challenging with high
audience volumes. However, they can provide a cost offset for
reusable programs. Unredeemed deposits can cover the replacement
costs for the lost items - to purchase additional items if the venue
manages their own stock, or to avoid a replacement fee from a reuse
service provider.
Sustainability fees - not common at sporting events - can be a small
fee added to drink orders, or a flat rate included in the ticket price, and
in some cases, fans can opt-out of paying the fee. These are most
common with audiences where environmental sustainability is an overt
shared value, including music festivals and cultural institutions (e.g.
zoo, aquarium).44 For example, a music venue in California added a
percentage sustainability fee to each drink that provides net revenue
to cover the reusable cup system as well as other sustainability
initiatives at the venue.45
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Economic impacts and benefits of reuse at events
A shift to reuse presents a significant economic opportunity for the country as the
economic growth can move from resource extraction, manufacturing and waste
management to local, green services to wash, manage and promote the reuse of
materials. Circular Economy expert think tank, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation
estimates that replacing just 20% of single-use plastic packaging of all types globally
with reusable options could be a $10 billion USD opportunity.46 Applying those
numbers to Canada, the National Zero Waste Council calculated a 20% shift would
create an economic opportunity of $773 million CAD and avoid over 300,000 tonnes of
material annually.47 A number of studies have concluded that reuse creates up to 50
times more jobs than disposal of the same amount of material in landfill or incinerator.48
Applied to reusable foodware, the economic benefits stem primarily from the need for
local service provision for washing and managing reusables, but can also spin off to
local manufacturing of reusables and more.
Local employment
Shifting from single-use foodware to reusable foodware supports local employment.
Reuse systems for foodware require manufacturing, sanitation, transport to and from
venues, specialized washing, inventory management systems and recycling at end of
life. This includes entry-level and low-barrier roles for transportation and washing, as
well as additional roles in sales and account managers to liaise with clients, supported
with design and communications work, technology support for programs to manage
inventory, and the relevant administrative and HR staff. The majority of these activities
occur locally and require local investment.49
An analysis by the reuse advocacy group Upstream Solutions estimates that 193,000
jobs could be created across the US by shifting from single-use foodware to reusables
for all on-site dining, including restaurants, venues, cafeterias etc.50 If the conditions
applied in Canada, that would be the equivalent of 20,000 jobs nationwide.51
Reusable foodware for major events and large venues can lead to temporary and short
term jobs to meet periods of high demand, while a steady flow of reuse services
demanded by a number of venues could lead to scaling up with additional wash lines
and permanent jobs in reuse.
One service provider estimated that one washing line at their facility could unpack,
wash, sanitize, inspect and repack 25,000 cups in one shift with a team of 6, or over
multiple shifts with two staff. Additional wash lines and temporary staff can increase
wash capacity as needed.52
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Legacy benefits and the role of
‘anchor’ venues
Large venues that serve high volumes of food and drink to a regular customer base,
such as sports and entertainment facilities, can become ‘anchor venues’ to help
catalyse the shift from single-use to reuse. By committing to reusable foodware, these
venues create sufficient demand to support and sustain the growth of local reuse
capacity, such as washing infrastructure, service providers, pooled reusable foodware,
and transportation systems. This also supports the growth of soft infrastructure such as
experience among facility managers, hospitality services, vendors as well as customer
familiarity with reuse.
Governments can support the establishment of anchor venues to accelerate the
adoption of reuse, or can potentially create anchor venues in publicly-owned or
managed facilities.53
Considering the size and central location of the host city venues in Toronto and
Vancouver, establishing these as anchor venues with ongoing reusable systems could
be an important environmental legacy. These would not only support the growth of the
local reuse service sector, but also increase fan understanding and expectations for
other venues and events.
For example, Toronto’s soccer venue, currently known as BMO Field, is located in downtown Toronto, less
than 4 km from three other sports venues: Rogers Centre, Scotiabank Arena, and Coca-Cola Coliseum.
Together, these 4 venues hold nearly 200 events per year. If all events reached capacity and served one
drink per fan, it could result in more than 5 million disposable cups, cans or bottles.
Vancouver’s soccer stadium venue, BC Place is located in downtown Vancouver, within 3 km of a number of
other major venues, including Rogers Arena, convention centre, outdoor event venues and the PNE grounds.
The FIFA World Cup 26™ presents an important opportunity to create a sustainable legacy in Toronto,
Vancouver and across Canada. The celebrated international tournament brings positive attention,
celebration and community energy that can propel and mainstream sustainability efforts. At the same
time, the additional resources and attention from the public and private sector can be leveraged to
advance reuse: including public and private procurement and spending, marketing and communications
budgets, international expertise, and a local team of event managers, staff, vendors and volunteers to
support implementation.
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Policies that support or
enable reuse at events
A number of policies are being explored and implemented around the world and across
Canada to address single-use plastics and single-use foodware. These are broad
ranging, and vary in terms of which level of government can apply or enforce them.
Some policies are already in place across Canada and in the relevant host jurisdictions,
namely:
● the Federal Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulation,
● the City of Toronto’s Single-Use and Takeaway Items bylaw, and
● the Province of BC’s Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation.
Below is a discussion of a few key policies relevant to venues and public events:
● Bans and restrictions on plastics and single-use items
● Water bottles and water refill stations
● Reusables for dine-in
● Accessories on request or “by request”
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Bans and restrictions on plastics and single-use items
Policies that prohibit or restrict the manufacture or use of single-use plastics or single-use items.
Impacts:
These policies can have significant impact across a region to reduce waste, potentially even without strict
enforcement. Phases in prohibitions also provide clarity and certainty for businesses making supply chain and
product decisions and spurs on the adoption and provision of alternatives.
Prohibitions and restrictions should also consider unintended impacts, such as the risk of operators simply
switching from the prohibited material to another single-use material that may or may not have a better
environmental impact.
The City of Montreal’s by-law prohibits both plastic and ‘compostable’ (PLA) plastic for on-site consumption;
reuse service providers report this has prompted many events to adopt reusable foodware.54
Relevant policy:
● Canada’s Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulation bans a number of single-use plastic items across
the country from local manufacture, sale and distribution since 2023. These include checkout bags,
cutlery, foam cups and containers, black plastic, stir sticks, straws, and six-pack rings. Some forms of
compostable and biodegradable plastics are included in the ban.
● Province of BC’s Single-Use and Plastic Waste Prevention Regulation prohibits single-use foodware
made of certain plastics - compostable, biodegradable, PVC and polystyrene foam.
● Toronto City Council directed staff to report on a potential local single-use plastic ban that duplicates
and expands on the federal ban. A report is expected in 2025.
Impact for stadium and major events:
● A ban on single-use and plastic items directly impacts the purchasing options and use of single-use
items at all events, and could prompt a shift to reusable alternatives.
● Bans on plastic and single-use items would decrease and modify waste management needs for event
venues.
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Water bottles & water refill stations
Policies designed to ensure free public access to drinking water, e.g. requiring that venues allow customers
to bring their own cups and water bottles, and requirements to provide water fountains and bottle refill
stations at venues and events.
Impacts:
Reduced single-use water bottles and promotion of reuse can have positive environmental benefits, primarily
reduced waste from single-use water bottles. Research shows that less than 10% of customers supply their own
cup at local cafes and restaurants, however participation is likely higher for water bottles at sports events and
festivals given the greater cost savings for customers.
Business impact:
This policy directly impacts business revenues from bottled water sales, and regulations to prohibit the sale of
bottled water, or require free water refill stations may face opposition from food vendors.
City of Toronto reports and research by the University of Toronto Trash Team and TEA found that the majority of
businesses in Toronto already allowed customers to supply their own cups (aka Bring-Your-Own or BYO) prior to
the City’s bylaw in 2024. Small businesses also reported that a policy that applies to all businesses, is
promoted by the City and includes clear health guidelines can remove the burden on individual businesses to
communicate with the public and increase adoption by customers.55
Relevant policy:
● The City of Toronto’s Single-Use and Takeaway Items by-law requires that all businesses accept
reusable beverage cups provided by customers starting in March 2024, however restricted venues are
currently exempt from this by-law.56
● Policies requiring the acceptance of customer cups and containers exist in a number of Canadian and
international jurisdictions. For example the Town of Banff, City of Edmonton, and across Spain.57
● France requires the provision of free drinking water fountains and refill stations at public events since
2021.58 The Paris 2024 Olympics included widespread access to and promotion of refill stations: a
customer survey found 70% of attendees brought their own refillable water bottle.59
● New York City passes a local law in 2024 that requires that major stadiums and venues permit
attendees to bring refillable bottles, including metal bottles.60
Impact for stadiums and major events:
● Most venues have restrictions on what guests can bring in with them - this can include steel water
bottles that can be potential projectiles.
○ BC Place and the Toronto Stadium currently permit empty refillable plastic water bottles and
have limited water refill stations, or fans can ask to refill water at concession stands.61
● Municipal water refill trucks - Toronto’s HTO To Go and Vancouver’s Water Wagon - provide free
portable water fountains and refill stations for outdoor events. The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) and
BC Place both permit guests to bring refillable water bottles (with some restrictions).
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Reusables for dine-in
Policies requiring reusable options are made available or provided for dine-in orders, or a prohibition on
serving food and drink in single-use foodware or single-use plastic foodware.
Impacts:
This policy has the greatest impact on environments where food is served entirely on single-use foodware,
such as fast food or quick service restaurants, and event venues and festivals.
Environmental impact:
This policy has significant potential for waste reduction. Single-use foodware is often unrecyclable, and not
accepted in compost programs. There are also avoided upstream impacts for the production, transport and
distribution of these items (i.e. natural resources, energy, water).
Economic Impact:
Reducing single-use foodware can reduce costs, especially for smaller businesses that don’t see the
economies of scale of mass orders of branded food packaging that major chains use. In addition to the avoided
cost of the single-use foodware itself, other costs include the staff time to manage and order inventory,
storage space, and waste management. However, the variabilities in the cost to provide reusable foodware,
which may or may not require additional dishwashing facilities, reconfiguring dining areas and staff training set
up make it very difficult to quantify.
A University of Toronto Trash Team poll of 100 customers found that 92% believe restaurants should
provide reusable dishes for dine in. City of Toronto's public consultation heard 68% of respondents say that
a reason they use disposables is that no reusable option was provided.62
Food service businesses:
Some restaurant associations raise concerns about the infrastructure and process changes required to manage
reusable foodware, however the majority of businesses have adapted when required.
A U of T Trash Team project interviewed businesses across Toronto and found that the majority, 3 out of 4,
were considering, getting ready, or already taking steps to adopt reusable foodware of some form in their
business.63
Relevant policy:
● A number of jurisdictions have implemented reusables for dine-in requirements, including some
Canadian municipalities (Banff, Edmonton, Terrebonne, Victoria), dozens of US municipalities and some
national regulations in France, Netherlands, Chile. While some are facing new regulations, the maturity
and experience in those regions that have had regulations in place for a while confirm the feasibility of
the regulation.
● Terrebonne, Quebec and Banff, Alberta were the first Canadian municipalities to require reusables for
dine-in (September 2023 and January 2024 respectively). Both municipalities offered support to
businesses including advice, funding, and temporary exemptions. Both have found a 90% compliance
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rate among restaurants, and a staff report in Terrebonne found that some businesses have seen a 50%
reduction in waste.64
● The City of Toronto is currently reviewing and will be reporting to Council in 2025 on the options of
requiring reusables for on-site food and beverage as part of Phase 3 of the Single Use and Takeaway
Items Strategy.
Impact for stadiums and major events:
● This policy would mean a shift to reusable foodware at some venues and festivals
● BC Place, a FIFA World Cup 26™ venue, started a reusable cup program with ShareWares, a reusable
service provider that supplies the cups and performs off-site washing. BC Place plans to roll out
reusable cups and foodware throughout the stadium in 2025.
● Toronto Stadium / BMO Field,, currently uses exclusively single-use foodware throughout the venue
and has no washing infrastructure on site.
● Most major festivals in Toronto and Vancouver have relied on single-use foodware, however a growing
number of food and art festivals are offering reusables.
Accessories on request - or ‘by-request’
A policy that requires that retailers confirm with customers before giving out accessories such as utensils,
napkins, condiments, straws and bags. May also include permitting self-serve accessory stations.
Impacts:
This policy addresses the practice of food vendors providing utensils, condiments, straws etc whether or not a
customer wants or needs them. This avoids significant waste: accessories are top litter items in audits across
the country, and most accessory items are not recyclable or compostable.
Many of these items are unwanted and are quickly disposed. The majority of customers report that they don’t
want all of the accessories they receive with food orders. A City of Toronto public consultation heard 68% of
respondents say they were given single-use items without being asked if they want it.65 The City of Vancouver
reports that 71% of residents said they would reduce the amount of single-use items if asked first.66
Economic Impacts: Avoiding unwanted accessories has immediate benefits for businesses who are now saving
on the cost of buying, storing and distributing accessories that customers don’t want. Businesses also avoid
the direct waste costs for handling the unwanted, disposed items on-site. Public or local costs for managing
litter and the additional waste in public space or domestic waste are also reduced.
For example, a Toronto independent restaurant could avoid almost 300,000 items and save over $10,000
per year. A typical takeout order can include 9 foodware items, 5 of those are optional accessories. For a
restaurant with 200 transactions per day, open 350 days a year, a 70% reduction can add up.
The savings are especially relevant to small independent businesses that typically pay higher costs for
single-use items than major chains.67
Relevant Policy:
● Toronto and Vancouver are covered by accessories on request regulations: the City of Toronto’s
Single-Use and Takeaway Items bylaw and the Province of BC Single-Use and Plastic Waste
Prevention Regulation68 have accessories on request regulations that apply to all restaurants,
FIFA World Cup 26™ venues and festival areas.
Impact for stadiums and major events:
● Many major stadiums and arenas currently employ self-serve stations for napkins, condiments and
other accessories at food concessions.
● Festivals and outdoor events vary; food trucks and food stalls may include accessories or have
self-serve areas.
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Implementation
Recommendations
for Host Cities
The FIFA World Cup 26™ games present an important
opportunity to create a sustainable legacy in Toronto, Vancouver
and across Canada. Local case studies and international best
practices provide key lessons to assist with planning and smooth
roll-out of reusables at stadiums and events.
While the stadium matches and Fan Festival™ events will have
some key differences, the recommendations below can apply to
both. Streamlining the reuse system between the stadium, the
stadium precinct, and at the fan event will reduce costs,
accelerate understanding by fans and vendors, and have the
greatest environmental benefit.
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● Conduct pilot tests or staged roll-out of reusables in 2025 in advance of the tournament.
Pilots at stadiums, at stadium precinct events, and at other festivals and events operated at
the same venue and event managers will provide valuable lessons for full roll-out in 2026.
● Replace all single-use disposable items with reusables where possible:
○ Provide reusable cups for both alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks, and provide draft
and fountain drinks in place of pre-packaged single-use plastic bottles and
single-use cans when possible.
○ Provide reusable foodware in lounges and when possible, at concessions in the
stadium. At the Fan Festival™, provide reusable dishes and utensils to all food
vendors to reduce single-use foodware and improve the fan experience.
○ Ensure widespread water fountains and bottle refill stations are clearly signed and
promoted
● Choose reusable items that can be used across all tournament sites to reduce the initial
inventory costs and have the highest environmental benefit. Shared design elements will
make the reusables easily identifiable; ideally choose designs that can be used after the
tournament.
● Provide reusables for free and avoid deposits. While refundable deposits can increase the
return rate of reusables, the additional steps such as scanning an item, downloading an
app, or lining up for a refund are unlikely to be viable in the tournament context given the
large crowd volumes and number of one-time attendees. Optional incentives such as
rewards and gamification can be used to encourage returns.
● Make returns easy and accessible. Print return directions on each reusable item and
ensure return bins are plentiful and identifiable. Consistency in the collections and
instructions for other waste streams (recycling, garbage and organics) will reduce
confusion and mis-sorting of reusables.
● Plan for additional sorting to reduce waste. Post-event waste sorting to retrieve
recyclable and reusable items can dramatically cut waste and costs. At the Fan Festival™,
staffed waste sorting centres can improve diversion throughout the event.
● Use multiple channels of communication. Extensive promotion of the reusables system is
critical due to the shorter window for educating fans. Use multiple channels of
communications before and during the event, including pre-event messages, public
promotions, announcer scripts alongside clear signage at point of sale, at return points and
at entrances and exits.
● Engage partners, site staff, vendors and volunteers in the reuse program. Provide
communications, training and experience with the reusables to ensure that all parties are
excited and can help with implementation, and trouble-shooting.
● Support reuse with local policies. Local programs and policies that promote reuse for
on-site food and beverage, and access to water refill stations can further drive investment
and support the transition to reuse.
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Case Studies
While the Canadian experience with reuse at events is in early stages, there are some
relevant examples that provide lessons for scaling up reuse at stadiums and other
events. These case studies have been chosen to showcase different reuse service
providers, system models and venues.
● BC Place - Reuse Case study
○ This government-owned facility will be hosting seven FIFA World Cup 26™
matches and has provided reusable cups in limited areas since June 2024. The
pilot phase has provided lessons for increasing return rates, and shown that BC
Place can save money when they expand to the full stadium.
● Pride Toronto - Reuse Case study
○ Pride Toronto’s experience with reusable cups at two temporary outdoor
performance stages shares important lessons on the use of custom designs, and
improving cup return rates at temporary events.
● Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto - Reuse Case study
○ This community event space in Toronto hosts weekly markets and special events
and demonstrates how reusable cups and dishes can be used by a diverse group
of food and drink vendors with thousands of visitors each week.
● Moda Centre, Portland - Reuse Case study
○ Moda Centre in Portland is the First NBA stadium to roll out
reusable cups, and provides helpful lessons in a phased roll-out,
the importance of ongoing evaluation and collaboration between
the venue, the food services and reuse companies.
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38
BC Place -
Reuse Case study
Overview
BC Place is one of the largest stadiums in Canada,
having hosted the 2010 Olympics, FIFA Women's World
Cup Canada 2015™, multiple major sports teams and
concerts. It is one of two venues to host Canadian
games in the FIFA World Cup 26™. BC Place is
provincially-owned and managed by the crown
corporation PavCo.
In 2024, BC Place introduced reusable cups with the help of reuse service provider
ShareWares. The cups were used in premium spaces, with some piloted expansion to
other levels of the stadium, and replaced more than 20,000 single-use aluminum cups
in six months. BC Place is now building on lessons learned, and planning to expand
reusable cups to the entire stadium.
About the Cups
BC Place rented ShareWares blank polypropylene plastic cups in a range of five sizes
for all poured, mixed and draft alcoholic drinks. The cups were used at most events
between June - December 2024 in the premium spaces and lounges, with a pilot test on
additional levels in the stadium.
There are no deposits or fees charged to customers.
Designated collection bins are placed near all waste
and recycling stations. Signs and information about
the cups and returns are posted at the bar and on all
bins.
BC Place pays ShareWares a per-cup fee for the
rental, washing and backend tracking, and a
replacement fee for lost cups. ShareWares provides
logistics support, staff training and evaluation, and
collects, washes and sanitizes cups at their wash
hub off-site. Single-use aluminum cups are used
elsewhere in the stadium.
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39
BC Place, Vancouver
Venue
54,500 seat stadium.
Reusable cups in premium spaces
in 2024.
Reuse
service
ShareWares
Return rate
71.25%
Prevented
waste
20,026 single-use cups
450 kg waste
June-December 2024
Key Learnings - BC Place, Vancouver
1. Reusables are expected to cost less than single-use when the program expands.
During the pilot phase, the cost of reusables was less than single-use aluminum cups
used elsewhere in the stadium*, however cup losses reduced potential savings. When
expanded, the economies of scale will reduce service and cup fees, and improved
return rates will lead to savings when compared to single-use.
2. Cup return rates are heavily impacted by communications and education for fans.
BC Place saw an average return rate of 71.25% in 2024. The losses are attributed to a
small amount of mis-sorting into garbage and recycling, and placement of bins:
collection bins were only available on the lounge level, though fans were able to leave
the lounge with reusable cups. ShareWares estimates that many cups did not end up as
waste and were taken home: fans were seen collecting stacks of the high-quality cups.
3. The pilot phase has helped to identify steps to take for full stadium roll-out.
Piloting reusables in limited areas allowed BC Place and ShareWares to test and
evaluate the program and identify additional steps would increase the return rate when
rolled out to the whole stadium:
● Increased promotion and education for attendees: More information about how/where to
return cups, more signs at concessions, or messages for event screens and scripts for
announcers can reduce cup losses.
● Ensure widespread and highly visible collection bins: Ensure that return bins are always
available and visible at recycling & waste stations.
● Consider incentives for customers: Offering reward points, prize draws or other gamification
can increase cup return rates. Incentives can use traditional, or technology and apps to
engage fans.
● Ongoing communications and training for all site staff: Initial information was provided, but
more ongoing education is needed for all staff - particularly new and temporary staff in food
services, cleaning and facilities.
● Review reusable cup options to lower replacement costs: Some cups, for example the
stemmed wine cups have higher loss (and take-home) rates, and are also more expensive to
replace. Choosing lower cost cups and bulk purchase rates can lower the costs when
expanded to the full stadium.
Sources:
BC Place website
Interview with Beverlyn Guinto, Manager, Environmental
Services, BC Place
Interview and information from Cody Irwin, CEO,
ShareWares
Photos courtesy of ShareWares
*BC Place cup costs are not confirmed, but single-use
aluminum cups can cost $0.45 to $0.75 per cup based
on reports from other event venues and suppliers.
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Pride Toronto - Reuse
Case Study
Overview
Pride Toronto - the largest Pride festival in North America, attracts
an estimated three million visitors over multiple days in June for
parades, a street festival and stage performances celebrating
2SLGBTQI+ communities.
Pride invested in custom reusable cups with the help of local reuse
service provider, Muuse. The cups were used for all poured drinks
starting with the outdoor Main Stage in 2023, and expanded to
include the Wellesley Street stage in 2024.
Learning from their first year, the Pride team worked closely with
Muuse to cut cup losses in half and increase the return rate to an
estimated 85% in 2024, avoiding 27,645 single-use cups over three
days.
About the Cups
Pride Toronto purchased polypropylene plastic cups in 2023 with
additional cups purchased as needed to replace losses. There are no deposits or fees
charged to customers. Customers consume their drinks in a restricted alcohol service
area.
During Pride events, the cup collection, washing and
restocking are performed by Muuse. Pride staff
manage site cleaning and post-event waste sorting.
Though not tracked directly, cleaning teams reported
less waste and litter to manage in the areas with
reusable cups.
The cups feature custom designs by a local artist,
celebrating key themes of Pride and giving an
opportunity to connect with the audience on shared
values. The cups were a talking point, popular among
attendees, with many asking about buying cups as
souvenirs.
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41
Pride Toronto
Venue
Outdoor festival attendance of
3,000,000.
Two outdoor stages with 10,000
capacity
Reuse
service
Muuse Canada
Return rate
85% in 2024 up from 70% in
2023
Prevented
waste
27,645 single-use items
415 kg of waste in 2024
Key Learnings - Pride Toronto
1. Custom cup designs enhanced the customer experience…
The attractive cups are popular, and the designs express shared values, enhancing the
experience of participants. Custom designs provided sponsorship opportunities to
offset the costs of cups and collection bins.
2. …however custom designs can limit the environmental benefits and limit cost savings.
The custom cups create a souvenir effect, and losses in the first year were higher than
hoped. In addition, the custom branding limits the potential uses of each cup.
Organizers noted that a pool of generic cups that could be shared with other festivals
would lower costs in the long term.
3. Despite the challenges of a large outdoor event, Pride and Muuse worked together to cut losses
in half, and increase return rates in 2024.
In 2023, the cup return rate was approximately 70%, but after some improvements, the
return rate increased to an estimated 85% in 2024. Key to the success was:
● Increased Collection points: More bins were purchased (30 added to the initial 10) to ensure they
could be beside every waste and recycling bin and near the bar. These bins can be moved to
where they’re needed.
● Increased, integrated promotion of reuse for attendees: Messages about the reusable cups
were shared on social media, written into host scripts to announce during the event, and
additional signs were posted on site.
● Engaged all staff in the reuse program efforts. Site staff were given additional training to
explain the cup system to customers as needed, and to reduce cup losses. For example, security
staff reminded attendees not to take their cups when they left the restricted area.
● Muuse staff increased their presence at the event to monitor the bins, check for mis-sorted
reusable cups and ensure smooth operations. Pride cleaning staff reported needing to spend less
time at the areas with reusables than those with single-use.
● Pride conducts a post-event hand-sorting of waste to reduce contamination, increase recycling
and lower the event’s high waste costs. This sorting also helps recover mis-sorted reusable cups,
reducing the cost of replacing cups.
Sources:
● Pride Toronto website: https://www.pridetoronto.com/
● Interview with Pride Toronto staff: Bobby MacPherson, Senior Director of Operations and Marvin
Regalado, Operations & Logistics Manager
● Interview and information from Muuse Canada: Scott Morrison, General Manager and Sofiya
Chorniy, Partnerships Manager
● Site visits and field documentation by TEA staff
● Photos courtesy of Muuse Canada, TEA staff
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Evergreen Brickworks, Toronto -
Reuse Case study
Overview
Evergreen Brick Works is a community space nestled in Toronto’s
Don Valley, featuring walking trails, parkland, and event spaces
that host a range of cultural and food festivals, and community
programs throughout the year.
The weekly Farmers Market and special events attract over
200,000 visitors over the year. Evergreen Brick Works introduced
reusable dishes - plates, bowls, utensils and cups - in partnership
with Muuse for use by food and drink vendors.
Starting at the Saturday Farmers Market in fall 2023, the program
has expanded to a number of other events, including a craft beer
festival and winter markets, avoiding 147,794 single-use items in 2024.
About the reusable foodware
Evergreen Brick Works rented unbranded, durable polypropylene cutlery, bowls, plates, and cups from
Muuse. These were distributed to more than a dozen prepared food and drink vendors at events. Vendors
offer the reusables to customers for ‘dine-in’ orders and customers use them at no cost and return them
to collection bins. Signs and information about the foodware are posted at the entrance and exit to the
market, at the seating area, at vendor tables and at collection bins.
Evergreen staff distribute, collect, and monitor
foodware, while Muuse handles reusable foodware
washing and restocking. Muuse uses the commercial
kitchen at Evergreen as wash hub, and offers a discount
on typical dishware fees for any events held at the Brick
Works site.
In 2025, Evergreen Brick Works is exploring options to
increase the use of the reusable foodware and cups for
events hosted by others that rent the space - for
example, with waste surcharges for the use of
single-use foodware.
*Due to a major flood in Toronto, Evergreen Brick Works had modified
operations and did not provide reusable foodware for eight weeks in the summer.
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43
Evergreen Brickworks
Venue
Community space with weekly
markets and events that attract
1500 to 6000 visitors per event.
Reuse
service
Muuse Canada
Return rate
95-99%
Prevented
waste
147,794 single-use items
1760 kg of waste in 2024 at 57
events*
Key Learnings Evergreen Brickworks, Toronto
1. Event managers play a critical role in making reusables work with multiple (and changing)
vendors.
Evergreen Brick Works staff provide details about the reusables in vendor applications
and agreements, and provide ongoing training and support at events. Some vendors
were initially hesitant, but a survey of vendors at the end of the first year found that
70% used the reusables and reported that 80% of food served at the Markets was on
reusable dishes.
2. A phased roll-out, with ongoing evaluation has contributed to the success.
Reusables were piloted as a standard feature of the weekly Farmers Market in late
2023, and after a year of improvements and learning, In 2025, Evergreen Brick Works
made participation in the reusable program mandatory for all Farmers Market vendors.
● Highly visible and accessible collection: After the initial phase, Evergreen Brick
Works increased the number of collection bins and chose large, bright colours to
improve visibility. The bins, along with clear signs, are placed throughout the
venue, and 95% of surveyed customers found returns were easy.
3. Reusables enhance the visitor experience. In December 2024, 145 customers were surveyed
and found overwhelmingly positive responses:
99% of respondents rated their experience 4 or 5 stars out of 5 for using the reusable
foodware, and 95% for returning the reusable foodware,
● Customers expressed strong support for the reduced environmental impact, and
noted that the collective sustainability effort matched their values.
● Many commented on the quality of foodware and the positive experience of
eating off ‘real’ dishes creating a better experience at the market.
Sources:
● Saving a rhino’s weight in trash: how Evergreen ditched disposables in 2024
● Interviews with Evergreen Brick Works staff: Chantal Stepa, Farmers Market Manager and Mae
Shibasaki, Program Coordinator, Markets, Festivals & Activations
● Interview with Scott Morrison, General Manager, Muuse Canada
● Customer survey conducted by TEA staff, analysis support from Dr. Rafaela Gutierrez
● Vendor survey conducted by Evergreen staff
● Photos courtesy of Muuse Canada
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Moda Center, Portland
- Reuse Case study
Overview
Rip City Reuse is the reusable cup program at the Moda Center, the first arena-wide program to launch in
the US in 2023, thanks to the efforts of the Portland Trail Blazers NBA team, Levy Restaurants, and Bold
Reuse. The 20,500 seat arena hosts an average of twenty events per month, including NBA games,
concerts and other events.
In late 2023, the Moda Center worked with Bold Reuse to
introduce reusable cups for all poured alcohol in the
arena, and in the first 12 months, over half a million
single-use cups were avoided. Regular evaluation,
including customer surveys and waste audits showed the
cups are popular, and the return rate steadily improved. In
late 2024, soft drink cups were added, so that now 95%
of non-packaged beverages served in the arena are in
reusables. Since the program began in late 2023, Rip City
Reuse has avoided over 800,000 single-use cups.
About the reusable foodware
Moda bought custom polypropylene cups in five sizes for
poured alcohol drinks in fall 2023, and a year later,
reusable cups for soft drinks were added. Sponsorships
offset some of the cost of purchasing the cups. The
arena’s alcohol cups feature a ‘Rip City Reuse’ logo, and
this may have contributed to higher initial losses, as the
cups may have been confused as souvenirs by fans.
Moda chose not to use deposits to avoid any additional friction that could slow operations; when fans are
done, cups are dropped in multi-compartment bins (pre-existing bins that were simply rebranded for
reusables). Bold Reuse washes and inspects the cups at their nearby wash hub, and Bold’s technology
tracks inventory and return rates.
Key Learnings - Moda Place, Portland
1. Return rates increased steadily with time as fans got accustomed to the program.
Initially, return rates were near 70%, but waste audits found less than 10% of cups in garbage and
recycling: the rest of the lost cups were going home with fans as souvenirs.
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45
Moda Place Portland
Venue
20,500 seat arena
Reuse
service
Bold Reuse
Return rate
80% as of January 2025
*90% for alcohol cups
Prevented
waste
534,882 single-use alcohol
cups avoided in 2024
+300,000 single-use cups
avoided Nov 2024 - Mar 2025
Avoided
waste
12,250 kg waste in 2024
Savings
Reduced waste fees
estimated at $2800 CAD for
2024
Return rates at regular events, such as home games of the Trail Blazers, have increased steadily,
reaching 90% for some cup types, as the souvenir effect wore off and fans got used to the program.
One-off events such as concerts, and new audiences see lower return rates. When reusable cups were
added for soft drinks in fall 2024, the overall return rate decreased to an average of 80% as a new
group of fans gets used to the cups, but this is also expected to increase with time.
2. Full buy-in and collaboration between partners has been a big factor for success.
Moda and Bold Reuse note that engaging everyone from management to catering partner, cleaning
staff and others created the right conditions for rapid expansion and success.
3. Ongoing evaluation has led to steady improvement.
Introducing the cups in stages allowed for learning before expansion. Moda and Bold evaluated and
tracked the impact of the program, including waste audits, return rates, and customer surveys to
gather feedback.
4. Promotion and communications using multiple channels helps.
Pre-event emails, notices on the Jumbotron, instructions printed on cups and clear signs around the
arena give many opportunities to inform fans about the program. Reusable cup milestones are
celebrated with fans to thank them for their participation and build a sense of ownership for the
program.
5. Moda Center staff conduct a post-event hand-sorting of all waste and recycling bags.
This helps recover more recyclable materials and retrieves valuable reusable cups. The small increase
in staff time for this sort is considered worthwhile as it reduces overall waste costs for garbage or
contamination, and reduces cup replacement costs.
6. The Rip City Reuse program aligns with the sustainability values of Moda Center and fans.
The reusable cups align with the organizational values of the Moda Center, and the ability to track the
environmental impact supports the longer term goals. Customer surveys show that 93% of fans are
satisfied with the quality of the cup and 91% said the Rip City Reuse program is important to their
experience at the arena.
Sources:
● Portland Trail Blazers - Rip City Reuse website
● Green Sports Alliance - Reuse Playbook, 2024. p45-46.
● Interview with Brittany Saulsbury, Sustainability Operations Manager, Portland Trail Blazer
● Interview and email with Bold Reuse co-founders: Heather Watkins-Smith, CRO and Jocelyn
Quarrell, CEO
● Photos courtesy of Bold Reuse
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Appendix I
Next steps and study limitations
Challenges have been encountered in gathering some details and information for this
report. This is due to a variety of reasons, including lack of documentation and tracking,
industry and commercially sensitive information, and the novelty of the approach which
limits the number of examples available to learn from.
Based on interviews with reuse service providers, event organizers, venue managers,
reuse experts and also based on literature review of other case studies and reports, the
following information gaps have been identified.
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47
Information Gap
Source of Information Uncertainty
Final costs for single-use
foodware
General estimates about the
average cost per item can act as
a basic guideline.
● Variability in venue and event size; for example, larger venues can order
in higher quantities and may have more storage space, reducing costs
per item
● Product costs and materials have seen major fluctuations in recent
years due to commodities market changes and inflation
● Indirect costs for staff time to manage inventory, provide site cleaning,
waste management etc. is typically not tracked at the level of detail
needed
● Costs for supplies, staff time etc are commercially sensitive, may
impact sponsors and not readily shared by venues, event organizers
Waste costs
● Waste - garbage, recycling and organics hauling - costs are typically
low, and vary by company and contract.
● Commercial waste rates may be affected by weight, however can
include a pick up fee whether a bin is full or not, reducing the savings
potential.
● Few venues and events track waste weights or composition at enough
detail to identify reductions, especially in a pilot phase, or if reusables
are in only one area.
Final costs for reusable
foodware
Reusable service providers
typically try to keep the cost of
reusable items in similar ranges
as the cost of single-use items
they are replacing, however the
cost is usually a bit higher.
● Variability in size, logistics and other details affect the final cost per
item. For example, if the items are owned or leased, if collection bins,
transport totes and delivery are included or not
● Reuse service providers have different fee models that include a
deposit, an eco-fee, and variations in replacement fees depending on
the item
● Indirect costs for staff time to manage inventory, provide cleaning and
manage waste is not tracked at the level of detail needed
● Costs for staff time, services and others are commercially sensitive -
not readily shared by reuse service providers or venues
● Reuse services at major events are relatively new, with emerging
service providers - costs and fees are expected to fluctuate as service
providers scale up
● Reuse services are impacted by geography - proximity to wash
infrastructure, to other customers
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48
Economic impacts of
reuse services
● Variability in location of manufacture, and materials used (e.g. recycled
metal, plastic or other) for single-use and reusables affects costs and
benefits
● Variation depending on reuse system - washed on site by venue, washed
off-site by service provider
● Tracking technology and stage of development impacts employees
Environmental impacts
for reusable foodware
items
● Environmental impact estimates promoted by reuse providers are
typically based on high level data and assumptions
● Life Cycle Assessment tools are very costly and highly sensitive and
variable to product type, location of manufacture, energy supply etc.,
making them less accurate when any of those variables change.
● Upstream impacts such as energy, water or land use, pollution etc are
not typically measured
● Waste costs and volumes at sites not tracked at sufficient detail;
recycling rate of single-use or reusable items not tracked.
Appendix II
Calculations and assumptions on the impact of reusable
foodware at FIFA World Cup 26™ in Toronto and Vancouver
Adopting reusable cups instead of single-use in Toronto and Vancouver in stadiums and fan
celebrations could prevent 2.3 million disposables, avoid 43.6 tonnes of waste, and spend
$460,000 less on single-use cups.
Swapping Single-Use Cups for Reusable Cups at Canada’s FIFA World Cup 26™
Toronto
Vancouver
Toronto Stadium
6 games - 45,000 attendance
BC Place
7 games - 54,000 attendance
● Avoid 540,000 disposables (90,000 per game)
● Prevent 9.7 tonnes of waste
● Spend $108,000 less on cups*
● Avoid 756,000 disposables (108,000 per game)
● Prevent 13.6 tonnes of waste
● Spend $151,000 less on cups*
Fan Festival™ - 25-30 days
Average 25,000 visits per day x 1 drink per person
Fan Festival™ - 25-30 days
Average 15,000 visits per day x 1 drink per person
● Avoid 625,000 disposables
● Prevent nearly 11.25 tonnes of waste
● Save $125,000 on cups*
● Avoid 375,000 disposables
● Prevent 6.75 tonnes of waste
● Save $75,000 on cups*
Note: *Cost savings vary based on cost of single-use cups and return rate of reusable cups
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49
Stadium games
2 drinks per person
Single-use aluminum
Reusable cup
service fee
Sold out
capacity
Games
Drinks
(all games)
Weight
kg
Cup cost
$ 0.45 ea
Waste
cost
$150/t
Service fee
$0.25
Savings
BC Place
54,000
7
756,000
14,364
$340,200
$2,155
$189,000
$151,200
Toronto
Stadium
45,000
6
540,000
10,260
$243,000
$1,539
$135,000
$108,000
TOTAL
99,000
13
1,296,000
24,624
$583,200
$3,694
$324,000
$259,200
Fan Festival™
1 drink per person
Single-use aluminum
Reusable cup
service fee
Capacity
Days
Drinks all
days
Weight
kg
Cup cost
$ 0.45 ea
Waste
cost
$150/t
Service fee
$0.25
Savings
Vancouver
15,000
25
375,000
7,125
$337,500
$1,069
$93,750
$75,000
Toronto
25,000
25
625,000
11,875
$562,500
$1,781
$156,250
$125,000
TOTAL
40,000
50
1,000,000
19,000
$900,000
$2,850
$250,000
$200,000
Assumptions
Attendance and capacity
● Stadium matches are sold out and audience is at full capacity
● Fan Festival™ event attendance averaged at 25,000 visitors per event day in
Toronto, and 15,000 per event day in Vancouver over 25 event days (based on
estimates and venue capacity). Actual attendance will vary throughout the
tournament, with some days screening multiple matches, and hosting additional
events and programming.
Drinks
● Stadium games sell an average of 2 drinks per person*
○ Based on interviews with reuse service providers and venue operators.
● Fan events sell an average of 1 drink per person
Single-Use
● Single-use cups are used for poured drinks (beer, mixed drinks). Both BC Place
and Toronto Stadium (BMO Field) currently use single-use aluminum cups.
● A portion of beer is served in single-use cans
● Weight assumed at 19g per single-use item:
○ Single-use aluminum cups (20 oz size) average weight 18-20 grams;
Single-use aluminum cans (473 ml or 16 oz size) average weight 18-19
grams each
● Cost of single-use aluminum cups set at conservative $0.45 each - based on
average cost reported in interviews with multiple venues and posted price lists
which show costs from $0.45 to $0.75 depending on customizations and size
● Method of serving drinks affects numbers:
○ If single-use cans are poured into single-use cups, the weight of waste
increases from this estimate by the proportion of drinks served in cans
○ If single-use cans are served as-is, the cost of single-use cups should be
reduced by the proportion of drinks served in cans
Reusable
● Reusable polypropylene cups are leased from service provider
● Reusable cups - 20 oz weigh 42 gram each
● Cost includes a per-cup service fee of $0.25 for leasing of cups, washing,
tracking, quality control (Based on average service fee in late 2024 reported by
four reuse service providers)
● Calculation of reusable cup cost only applies to the savings of cups used during
the tournament and does not include use beyond the tournament.
● Numbers represent the full potential avoided waste at an ideal 100% return rate.
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50
Waste weight and costs
● Weight of waste based on dry weight of single-use cups (average 19 g, see
above)
● Waste costs assumes $150 /tonne of waste based on weight only - average of
recycling and garbage fees publicly available, consistent with reported waste
fees by one venue.
● Assumes no change in staff or labour costs for managing reusables - based on
case studies and interviews with venues and events that reported existing staff
were able to carry out all tasks related to reuse.
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Appendix III
Featured reuse services providers in Canada
A growing number of reuse service providers operate across Canada. Below is a
preliminary list of service providers that have supplied events and venues in Toronto
and Vancouver.
Open loop systems provide reusable containers or cups for food and drink to be taken
off-site, such as cafes and take-out from restaurants and grocery stores. These
typically include a deposit, or a charge for non-returned item. In Canada, a number of
reuse businesses have emerged to provide reuse services in an open-loop system.
These smaller services are typically focused on dense and urban areas
In Closed-loop systems food and drink is served and consumed on-site with minimal
flows off-site, such as campus cafeterias, or venues with restricted access. This
typically reduces losses and increases return rates, reducing the need for incentives or
for consumers to create an account to use the item.
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Kicking off with reusables
53
Featured reusable service providers
Cupko is a cup manufacturer and reuse service provider based in Montreal, QC. Cupko manufactures and
supplies non-branded and custom reusable foodware for many reuse services across Canada. Cupko
offers handling, washing, sanitation, quality control and technology to manage reusable foodware and
cups at festivals and events, including major music and cultural festivals in Montreal.
Ecocup Canada is a Montreal based subsidiary of Re-Uz, a reuse service provider based in France.
Ecocup manufactures and supplies non-branded and custom reusable foodware. Eco-cup offers handling,
washing, sanitation, quality control and technology to manage reusable foodware and cups primarily at
festivals and events, including major music and cultural festivals and some sporting events in Montreal
and Toronto.
Friendlier is a reusable container and cup provider based in Guelph, ON. Friendlier offers handling,
washing, sanitation, quality control and tracking to manage their own-branded or custom-branded
reusable foodware. Friendlier has partnerships with Compass Group Canada, Sodexo and Dexterra Group,
and operates at more than 200 food service locations with their open system of returnable foodware
across Ontario and BC. Friendlier also provides cups and containers in closed systems including Brantford
Civic Centre and the Toronto Zoo. Friendlier has multiple wash facilities in Ontario and BC.
Muuse Canada is the local subsidiary of a global app-based reusable service provider.
Muuse offers handling, washing, sanitation, quality control and technology to manage reusable foodware
including stainless steel insulated cups and containers in an open system at almost 100 locations in
Toronto, and the town-wide Banff Borrows program. Muuse also offers reusable polypropylene hot and
cold drink cups, dishes and utensil for a number of closed systems including food festivals and cultural
events in Toronto. Muuse has a central wash facility in Toronto and partners with the National Wash
Network for washing in other regions.
Sharewares is a reuse service provider based in Vancouver BC that offers handling, washing, sanitation,
quality control and technology to manage reusable foodware. Sharewares currently offers reusable cups
at dozens of locations with their open system in Vancouver. ShareWares provides reusable cups at BC
Place stadium, Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre and offers reusable cups, dishes and utensils for closed
systems including multiple food and cultural festivals. ShareWares has a certified wash facility with
Ecolab equipment in Vancouver and and partners with the National Wash Network for washing in other
regions.
Suppli is a reuse service provider based in Toronto, ON. Suppli’s service includes logistics, washing,
sanitation, and quality control and technology in both open and closed-loop systems. Suppli offers a range
of foodware in stainless steel, silicone and durable polyproplene. Suppli currently operates at over 100
restaurants and is integrated with delivery services including Uber Eats. Suppli manages end-to-end
programs for catering providers, office clients and film productions.
Endnotes
1. BMO Field’s current audience capacity is 27,980, additional temporary seating will be
added for the FIFA World Cup 26™ tournament to bring the total capacity to over 45,000.
City of Toronto (March 3, 2025). City of Toronto and MLSE announce enhancements to BMO
Field. Toronto Press Release.
2. City of Toronto Staff (2023). Proposed Business Plan for Toronto’s Participation in FIFA
2026. Executive Report, p8.
3. FIFA World Cup 26™ Sustainability Strategy: Environmental Pillar. Inside FIFA™ Website.
4. Zahra Zafari et al (March 4, 2025). From Conventional Approaches to Circular Systems:
Evolution of Waste Management in Mega-Sporting Events. Journal of the Air & Waste
Management Association. https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2025.2462005,
5. Upstream Solutions (2021). Reuse Wins at Events: A life-cycle analysis of reusable and
single-use cups. Upstream Report.
6. Based on interviews with Pride Toronto Operations staff, November 2024.
7. Green Sports Alliance (July 10, 2024). Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Reuse
Systems in Sports and Entertainment Venues: Green Sports Alliance Releases Reuse
Playbook. Green Sports Alliance Reuse Guide.
8. The letter was signed in July 2024 by 102 elite athletes, 9 organizations and supported
by a number of environmental and other reuse champions. Sailors for the Sea and
EcoAthletes (July 10, 2024). Be a Reuse Champion. Sailors for the Sea Website.
9. Paris 2024 (December, 2024). Sustainability & Legacy post-Games Report Summary. Paris
2024 Report, p23.
10. Upstream Solutions (2021). Reuse Wins at Events: A life-cycle analysis of reusable and
single-use cups. Upstream Report.
11. Franklin Associates, a Division of Eastern Research Group (2018). Compostable: How well
does it predict the life cycle environmental impacts of packaging and food service ware?
State of Oregon: Department of Environmental Quality. Oregon Report.
12. Deloitte (2019). Economic Study of the Canadian Plastic Industry, Market and Waste. for
Environment and Climate Change Canada. Government of Canada Report.
13. Giroux, Kelleher, Faucher (2023). The Role, Management, and Impacts of Plastics in
Organic Waste Diversion Programs in Canada, Resource Document. for Environment and
Climate Change Canada. Government of Canada Report.
14. Rexius Compost & Organics and other groups (2019). A Message from Composters
Serving Oregon. Composters Letter; Schwartz-Narbonne, H., Xia, C., & Shalin, A. (2023). Per-
and polyfluoroalkyl substances in Canadian fast food packaging. Ecotoxicology and Public
Health. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00926.s001
15. For example, the UN Environment Program (UNEP) (2021) Addressing Single-Use
Plastic Pollution; Zero Waste Europe & Reloop (2020) Reusable vs Single-Use Packaging;
Upstream Solutions (2023) Reuse Wins.
16. Upstream Solutions (2021). Reuse Wins at Events: A life-cycle analysis of reusable and
single-use cups. Upstream Report.
17. Upstream Solutions (2021). Reuse Wins at Events: A life-cycle analysis of reusable and
single-use cups. Upstream Report. Calculations based on the US EPA WARM calculator v 16
(2022) - see Appendix II
18. See NZWC (2022). Reuse in Canada Landscape Scan; Canada Plastic Pact (2023). Study
on Reuse and Refill of Plastic Packaging; Green Sports Alliance (2024). Comprehensive Guide
to Implementing Reuse Systems.
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54
19. Live presentation by Upstream Reuse Solutions Network, attended by author (2025).
20. AEG has installed wash infrastructure for reusable cups at three venues in Germany,
avoiding over 3 million single-use cups in one year. See the AEG case study in the Green
Sports Alliance Reuse Guide, p63.
21. City of Ottawa (December 9, 2024). Reuse Ottawa: Pioneering a Greener Future with
Reusable Packaging. City of Ottawa Website.
22. Based on interviews with reuse service providers.
23. Zero Waste Europe (2023). The economics of reuse systems: A study into what makes a
financially viable reusable packaging system. Searious Business. ZWE Report; Resolve (draft)
(2024). Reusable packaging system design – Specifications and recommendations: Return
incentives - version 1.1. PR3 Reuse Standards draft report; Green Sports Alliance (July,
2024). Reuse Playbook. Green Sports Alliance Reuse Guide;
24. Green Sports Alliance (July 10, 2024). Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Reuse
Systems in Sports and Entertainment Venues: Green Sports Alliance Releases Reuse
Playbook. Green Sports Alliance Reuse Guide.
25. Paris 2024 (December, 2024). Sustainability & Legacy post-Games Report Summary.
Paris 2024 Report; Angelique Chrisafis (August 7, 2024). Greenwash Games? French Public
Points Finger at Coca-Cola over Olympics Plastic Waste. The Guardian. Guardian Article.
26. Paris 2024 (December, 2024). Sustainability & Legacy post-Games Report Summary.
Paris 2024 Report.
27. In a survey of Toronto restaurants by the University of Toronto Trash Team and TEA, the
presentation and temperature of food were two of the top three considerations when
selecting takeout foodware. University of Toronto Trash Team (2022) Food Service
Businesses in Toronto Are Willing to Change Their Practices around Single-Use and Reusable
Foodware, p8. Trash Team Report.
28. Geoff Nudelman (July 24, 2024). Reuse and Circularity Pilots Taking Off Inside Major
Sports, Entertainment Venues. Sustainable Brands article.
29. Eco-cup staff in discussion with the author, December 2024. Also noted in Reusable
Cups at Events: Why It Matters and How to Do It (2022). Manchester City Council.
Sustainable Events Guide, p12.
30. Green Sports Alliance (July 10, 2024). Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Reuse
Systems in Sports and Entertainment Venues: Green Sports Alliance Releases Reuse
Playbook. Green Sports Alliance Reuse Guide.
31. Scottish Event Campus (SEC) (2023). Reusable Project. SEC Report; email
correspondence with Stacy Pitingolo, SEC Head of Operations - Live Entertainment, June
2024.
32. Correspondence with Raphaël Savaria, Sustainable Development Coordinator,
Multicolore Projects, May 2024.
33. Noted by Bold Reuse for the Portland Trail Blazers games
34. Green Sports Alliance (2024, July 10). Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Reuse
Systems in Sports and Entertainment Venues: Green Sports Alliance Releases Reuse
Playbook. Green Sports Alliance Reuse Guide.
35. Rethink Disposable (Clean Water Fund), San Francisco Environment Department (2024).
San Francisco Music Venues Raise the Bar for Sustainability. Rethink Disposable Report.
36. Based on interviews with reuse service providers, reusable foodware manufacturers
and published prices lists. Friendlier is one company that charges a per-item deposit for
reusables that covers the replacement fee.
37. Based on interviews with venues, service providers and published price lists.
38. Interviews with venues, service providers confirm that draft and fountain drinks can
provide double the profit margin when compared to packaged drinks, however this doesn’t
account for labour costs.
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55
39. Based on interviews with Canadian and US service providers, and on published price
lists on service provider websites, though larger and long term contracts may see reduced
costs.
40. Based on interviews with BCPlace, Moda Center, BCC and Pride Toronto staff
41. Rethink Disposable (Clean Water Fund), San Francisco Environment Department (2024).
San Francisco Music Venues Raise the Bar for Sustainability. Rethink Disposable Report.
42. PepsiCo, Inc. (May 22, 2024). In Its Continued Partnership with UEFA, PepsiCo Leads the
Charge Towards a More Sustainable 2024 UEFA Champions League Final. PR Newswire. Press
release.
43. Noted by reuse service providers and outlined in the Green Sports Alliance Reuse
Guide (2024).
44. Green Sports Alliance (July 10, 2024). Green Sports Alliance Reuse Playbook. Green
Sports Alliance Reuse Guide.
45. Rethink Disposable (Clean Water Fund), San Francisco Environment Department (2024).
San Francisco Music Venues Raise the Bar for Sustainability. Rethink Disposable Report.
46. Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2020). Reuse: Rethinking Packaging. Ellen MacArthur
Report.
47. National Zero Waste Council (NZWC) (2021). Waste Prevention: The Environmental and
Economic Benefits for Canada. NZWC Report, p68.
48. An EU study estimated that reuse creates 50 times more than disposal. Rreuse (2015).
Briefing on job creation potential in the re-use sector. Rreuse Study. A US study estimates
the reuse creates as many as 31 times as many jobs as disposal. Tellus Institute (2011). More
Jobs, Less Pollution: Growing the Recycling Economy in the U.S. Tellus Institute Study.
49. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2020). Labour
Market Consequences of a Transition to a Circular Economy. OECD Review Paper.
50. Upstream Solutions. (2021). Reuse Wins. Upstream Report.
51. Environmental Defence (2022). Reusing packaging and containers: key to getting to Zero
Plastic Pollution. Briefing Note.
52. Based on interviews with reuse service providers.
53. The World Economic Forum (2021). Consumers Beyond Waste Reuse Playbook for Cities,
identifies municipalities as key players in enabling reuse, including by supporting reuse
infrastructure and large venue adoption. World Economic Forum Playbook.
54. City of Montreal, QC (2021). By-law prohibiting the distribution of certain single-use
items (21-040); impact on events described in interviews with reuse service providers.
Montreal By-law.
55. University of Toronto Trash Team (2022). Food Service Businesses in Toronto Are Willing
to Change Their Practices around Single-Use and Reusable Foodware. p 8. Trash Team
Report; (2024). Informing the reduction of single-use foodware: one neighbourhood at a time.
Trash Team Report.
56. City of Toronto by-law 68-2024, Single-Use and Takeaway Items bylaw
57. Town of Banff, Alberta - Single-Use Items Reduction Bylaw; City of Edmonton, Alberta
Single-use Item Charter Bylaw; Spain Waste Law, Lindsey Parkinson (2022). Spain passes
comprehensive waste reduction regulation, eases the way for reuse. Food Packaging Forum.
58. France’s Waste Prevention Legislation, article 77, requires that publicly accessible
buildings must provide free water fountains since 2022. France Legislation.
59. Paris 2024 (December, 2024). Sustainability & Legacy post-Games Report Summary.
Paris 2024 Report, p23.
60. City of New York Local Law 2024-035 https://intro.nyc/local-laws/2024-35.
61. BC Place. Prohibited Items. BC Place Website., BMO Field. FAQ. BMO Field Website.
62. City of Toronto (2019). Single-Use and Takeaway Items Public Consultation Report.
Toronto Report.
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56
63. University of Toronto Trash Team (2024). Informing the reduction of single-use foodware:
one neighbourhood at a time. Trash Team Report.
64. CBC News. (July, 2024). This Montreal suburb requires businesses to use reusable
tableware. It wants others to follow suit. CBC Article, and Rocky Mountain Outlook (July,
2024). High compliance with Banff's single-use item bylaw. Outlook Article.
65. City of Toronto (2019). Single-Use and Takeaway Items Public Consultation Report.
Toronto Report.
66. City of Vancouver (2018). Zero Waste 2040 Single-Use Item Reduction Strategy.
Vancouver Staff Report.
67. University of Toronto Trash Team (2022). Food Service Businesses in Toronto Are Willing
to Change Their Practices around Single-Use and Reusable Foodware. Trash Team Report.
68. BC Government (2024). Food Service Accessories Regulation Fact Sheet. BC
Government Factsheet.
Photos courtesy of ShareWares, Bold Reuse, Muuse Canada, Friendlier, Evergreen Brick Works,
Pride Toronto, TEA staff.
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