Reuse Case Study Explorer
The case for reuse is strong. Many dozens of case studies from pilots and projects around the world and across many sectors prove cost and environmental savings. In order to illustrate the potential for reuse in every documented scenario, Upstream has gathered this filterable database of reuse case studies. By using the filters, you can identify and/or download all case studies pertaining to the most common fields of inquiry. (Discover more sorting tags by clicking into each case study).
If you know of a case study you do not find here, please let us know and we will happily add it! If you would like further information about any of these case studies or would like to further explore how such data can inform your reuse operations, contact us.
Sector Key
Click an icon to see case studies by sector — and/or use the filters in the side bar.
USEFULL: Saint Olaf College
Project Size: 2,988 student body
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: unknown
Material: metal
Return Rate: 99%
Disposables Avoided: 58,251 (annual)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
USEFULL: Union College
Project Size: 2,000 student body
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: unknown
Material: metal
Return Rate: 97%
Disposables Avoided: 2,882 (1 month)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
USEFULL: University of Southern California
Project Size: 47,100 student body
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: unknown
Material: metal
Return Rate: 99%
Disposables Avoided: 78,566
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
USEFULL: Carlton College
Project Size: 2100 student body
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: unknown
Material: metal
Return Rate: 99%
Disposables Avoided: 60,000 (15 months)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
USEFULL: Mount Holyoke College
Project Size: 2330 student body
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: unknown
Material: metal
Return Rate: unknown
Disposables Avoided: 92,870 (annual)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
USEFULL: Arizona State University
Project Size: 28,000 student body
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: University funding — Green Student Fund
Material: metal
Return Rate: 99.74%
Disposables Avoided: 140,000 (annual)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
Reuse Seattle: Seattle Pacific University
Project Size: 2,260 student body
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: None
Material: plastic
Disposables Avoided: 23,900 (annual)
Cost Savings: Unknown
Break-Even: Unknown
ReThink Disposable: USF Market Cafe
Project Size: 5,000 transactions/day
Dishwashing Model: commercial dishwasher
Funding Source: None
Material: metal, plastic
Disposables Avoided: 2,607,519 (annual)
Cost Savings: $157,883
Break-Even: 2 weeks
Additional Resources