ReusePass: Choose to Reuse

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Our Choose 2 Reuse campaign was awarded a 2020 NACUFS Gold Award for Educational Outreach in Sustainability. As a part of this campaign, reusable to-go containers in the dining halls have entirely eliminated the use of disposable containers for take-out meals. Additionally, beverage discounts are available in select locations for reusable cups & mugs. Read below for more information.

#Choose2Reuse 

ReusePass: Reusable To Go Containers

We’re partnering with ReusePass on our reusable to-go container program in Chase and Top of Lenoir, so you can take your food wherever you’d like. Have a picnic on the quad or a study night in the library, without the waste. Although we eliminated the use of single-use clamshells years ago, ReusePass adds improved tracking and a streamlined return system – making it easier to be sustainable! 

NOTE: We are currently experiencing a glitch in the ReusePass Dashboard where container returns are being captured in the system, but not updating in user accounts to reflect a completed rental. We are working to resolve this issue, and apologize for the inconvenience. In the meantime, please rest assured that you have not been/will not be charged the $5 failed return fine, even if you receive a text about being eligible. To check on the status of your return, you can look in the “Recent Activity” page in your account. Thank you for your patience while we resolve this!

How to use ReusePass:

  1. Join ReusePass: Visit reusepass.com to create your free account with your phone number and onyen – no app downloads or sign-up fees necessary. 
  2. Rent: Scan your ReusePass QR code at the Chase or Top of Lenoir registers, and the cashier will scan a container to link it to your account. Note: you must use two meal swipes if you plan to dine in and take food to-go. If you are just taking food to go, you only swipe once. 
  3. Enjoy your food on the go! Please do not microwave your container, as it will damage the radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag used to track check outs/returns.
  4. Return to either dining hall within 3 days to avoid a $5 failed return fine. Just drop it in the return bin by the register and go! Our RFID readers will automatically mark containers as returned when they go through our dish machines. 

Important Details:

  • Guests can check out as many containers as they’d like at a time – just make sure to return them within the 3 day rental period.
    • If you have multiple containers checked out, it doesn’t matter which physical container you return first – the container with the earliest due date will be marked as returned. 
  • If you want to dine in with us and take food to-go, you must use two meal swipes. After you’ve finished dining in, you can come back to the register to get your to-go container and swipe a second time.
    • If you have an All Access Plan, you must account for the 15-minute waiting period between swipes.
  • You must use one meal swipe per to-go container.
  • If your container breaks, or is accidentally microwaved, don’t throw it out! Reach out to our Sustainability Manager at vlhill@unc.edu before the end of your return period with a photo of the QR code before dropping it back in the return bin. From there, we can either retire the container or replace the RFID tag, and update it in your account so it doesn’t show up as a failed return.  
  • There is a $5 failed return fee if you do not return your container. We will notify you via email about instances of failed returns, and the fine will be charged to your flex account. If you have insufficient funds, you will have to pay the fine with a credit or debit card. Failure to pay failed return fines will result in account deletion, and you will be unable to use the program going forward. 

Read below for FAQs.

Did you know?

Our reusable to-go program allows us to divert approximately 100,000 disposable containers each year! 

 

ReusePass FAQs

Reusable Bottle & Mug Discounts 

  • We offer $0.25 discounts for beverage refills at Lenoir Mainstreet, Beach Café, Rams Market, Cafe McColl, Blue Ram, Café Converge, Law Bar, Raynor Food Center, and Atrium Café (up to 16 ounces).