Transact Campus, a provider of campus technology and payment solutions, has partnered with Reusables.com, a technology platform for circular economy solutions, aimed at reducing packaging waste in college dining facilities.
The collaboration introduces campus dining programmes as a new method of tracking and tracing containers, aligning with the growing sustainability mandates in higher-education institutions.
The partnership integrates the checkout and return of Reusables’ sustainable containers with the Transact Campus ID solution.
It includes an application programming interface integration between the two companies that allows students to borrow and return containers using their student ID card or mobile credential.
Reusables CEO Jason Hawkins said: “Our partnership with Transact will help make reuse more seamless for students and staff giving them an easy way to contribute to eliminating single-use packaging waste and the downstream negative effect.
“We find that removing the barriers allows our clients to achieve high adoption and return rates of 99%.”
The initiative comes at a time when the rise of disposable packaging has contributed to biodiversity loss and climate change.
This integration supports campuses' sustainability goals and enhances the checkout experience for students, enabling them to borrow and return containers with ease.
According to Transact, users will not be charged if they return the containers, which assists food service operations in saving on disposable packaging costs.
Transact partnerships and M&A SVP Chris Setcos said: "Partnering with Reusables allows us to further enhance the student experience by integrating sustainable solutions directly into campus life.
"This collaboration not only strengthens our environmental commitments but also reflects our dedication to maintaining an open ecosystem of partners across all functional areas of our business."
Reusables has been offering a tech-enabled, plastic-free takeout option for the college dining market.
The company’s software also provides tracking and reporting on the environmental impact, featuring internet-of-things tracking tags and automated return systems.
