Toronto is getting its first entirely zero-waste neighbourhood
As a ban on single-use plastics was recently announced in Canada, Toronto is about to get its first neighbourhood that's totally zero waste.
A stretch of Queen East is going to be transformed into a "Zero Waste Zone" aiming to replace single-use plastics with reusable alternatives.
Reusuable coffee cups, takeout containers and pizza boxes are being provided by Toronto-based Dream Zero and their app Muuse.
Muuse is already active in the city, and the reusable items within the Zero Waste Zone will work on the same basis as their coffee cup system some people are already familiar with, where you can "rent" coffee cups and return them to any location using the system within a month's time.
There should be around 50 locations participating in the intensified zone, making this type of program easier to pilot than ever.
The zone of Queen East will extend to Toronto's Beaches, Riverside and Leslieville neighbourhoods, from Don River to the Beaches. They're currently in the process of signing up businesses.
"These reusable takeout cups and containers are made with
durable materials that are optimized for hundreds to thousands of uses, greatly reducing the packaging footprint for our favorite food and beverages," says Dream Zero founder Scott Morrison.
"The product designs just provide a better user experience than single-use too, helping to keep the desired temperature of your food or beverage for longer."
The Zero Waste Zone should be up and running starting July 2022 and should operate until early 2023.
Muuse is already available at around 25 Toronto businesses including ChocoSol, Hamers and bare market.
"Restaurants love it," Morrison tells blogTO.
"We only charge 15 cents per food container compared to up to a dollar for some compostable options. There's some overhead with washing, but they break even and they get the opportunity to serve their food in a sustainable way."
Muuse
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