# Why reuse?

Today’s production and consumption system follows a "make-take-waste" logic. About half of global plastic waste is made up of single-use packaging for beverages, food, personal or home care products we use every day. Our failure to properly manage the growing amount of waste has severe social, environmental, and economic consequences.


## With only about 9% of global plastic waste being recycled today, the Reuse Portal focuses on elevating reuse as a critical solution space deserving greater attention alongside downstream approaches.

We must rethink our approach in fundamental ways to reduce our demand on the planet and make better use of our precious resources. Reuse will play a critical role in achieving a more circular, sustainable world.


## What do we mean by reuse?

For the Reuse Portal, we define reuse as the multiple use of packaging items, such as coffee cups, take-out food containers, shampoo bottles or soap dispensers. In many cases, this requires the use of durable packaging formats that can withstand multiple use cycles.


## Reuse solutions can directly involve the consumer or play a role in business-to-business commerce.

Many different types of products and solutions can enable reuse – including systems where packaging is returned by the user; where users refill their own packaging; or where products themselves are redesigned to reduce or eliminate the need for single-use packaging. As such, the scope of reuse includes refill and reduce elements, all of which prevent waste from being generated in the first place.


## What impact can reuse have?

If executed successfully, reuse systems can provide benefits to people, planet, and profit compared to linear single-use systems

[View More](#)


### Environmental

From a life cycle perspective, most often, reusable products have lower environmental impacts than single-use products. The higher the number of repeat uses of a product, the lower the environmental impact. Reuse models can help reduce plastic pollution and generate less greenhouse gas emissions than single-use.

[Learn more](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2020/07/23/breaking-the-plastic-wave-top-findings)


### Economic

Reuse can reduce waste management budgets and also provide new business opportunities - in fact, switching 20% of existing single-use plastic packaging to  reuse presents a 10 billion USD opportunity.

[Learn more](https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/reuse-rethinking-packaging)


### Social

Reuse can lessen the burden of plastic waste on vulnerable communities and support behavior change towards alternative models that are accessible, convenient, and aspirational.

[Learn more](https://www.reuseportal.org/contact-us)


## How is reuse different from recycling?

Reuse solutions prevent waste upstream and are therefore fundamentally different from so-called downstream solutions, such as recycling, incineration, or disposal. Downstream solutions deal with waste once it has been generated by the system.


## The Reuse Portal focuses on elevating reuse as a critical solution space deserving greater attention alongside downstream approaches.

However, reuse is not a blanket substitute for recycling. Both are critically important for building a circular and sustainable future and are ripe for innovation and improvement. Even reusable packaging – after undergoing as many use cycles as possible – will eventually reach its end of life and require proper recycling.


### Have a recommendation for the Reuse Portal?

The current version of the Portal is an early test version. The platform will be built out and released in phases during 2023/24. To get it right, we’d love to receive your feedback on the Portal and what you’d like to experience as it grows.

[Share your feedback](https://weforum.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_85JFpXpHSY1hbsG)


*Partner organizations and sponsors*


*Partner organizations and sponsors*