IMPACT:
Single Use Waste is a Problem
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Single-use waste causes environmental harm
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High GHG emissions associated with the production and usage of these items, land pollution, and microplastic toxicity
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SUPs are a major contributor to global waste
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When these products end up in a landfill or as litter in the general environment, they pose a serious threat to wildlife
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According to a past DishZero vendor survey, Filistix SUB sold an average of 275 rice bowls per day prior to campus closure due to COVID-194.
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Assuming all six of SUB’s most DishZero-compatible vendors sold a similar amount, 1,650 disposable dishes had the potential to be diverted each day. DishZero’s current start-up resources (inventory and washing capacity) allow for 114 available reusable dishes each day.
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Assuming maximum usage of the program, DishZero would allow for approximately 2.6 kg of waste prevented each day, or roughly 427 kg each academic year.
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The waste savings above represent a scenario where only 6.9% of all daily divertible containers are actually diverted with reusables.

Single-Use Waste Diversion at the UofA
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DishZero is grant funded and covers all costs associated with the program in its entirety!