2022 marked Phase 2 of this project. During this phase our study evaluated the attitudes and how ready the food service businesses and their customers are to both reduce single-use foodware and adopt reusable alternatives.

Our research focused on the Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA) – a busy pedestrian area that includes dense residential, employment and recreation (tourist) areas and food service businesses selling ready-to-eat food. Observational data were collected from 90 businesses and surveys were conducted with 45 businesses from the Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA), including sit-down restaurants, quick-service restaurants, and coffee shops. Surveys were also conducted with 100 customers from the same area. Businesses and customers were asked about their current practices, perceptions, and support for regulations on single-use and reusable foodware.

Our report compiling this data was published in April 2023, access the full report here.