Every Refill of a PATH Water Bottle Grows Your Positive Impact
Let’s face it, when it comes to single-use items, the focus is on sales and driving numbers. It’s rare to see a company ask you to buy less and encourage reuse, but they are out there. Whether it’s bottled water like PATH or the aluminum refillable line of hair and body products by Plaine Products, the goal of these companies is to introduce a new “less is more” approach to the everyday single-use product barrage.
If you want to contribute where you can have a lighter footprint on your day-to-day, science says reuse will always trump any single-use item, no matter the material. When packaging is made for reuse, its impact will always be greater than that of material made for single-use. There isn't a more sustainable comparison than packaging made to be reused indefinitely, and we see this impact with drinking water or shampoo bottles we see on our travels.
Here are the 10 positive things that happen when you choose to reuse.
#1 Reuse stops waste before it starts
Adopting reuse prevents waste generation at the source, reducing costs for people, businesses, and local governments. Single-use products and packaging make up a substantial portion of the waste stream, with Americans discarding approximately 1,700 pounds of materials per person every year. 30% of this waste includes single-use items like food containers, utensils, and packaging.
The U.S. accounts for only 4% of the global population and produces 12% of the planet’s total waste. Imagine a small house in a neighborhood of 25 houses (representing the global population). Despite being one of the smallest houses, this house produces three times more trash than the average neighbor. It’s like that one house generating a mountain of garbage while the others produce much less. This disproportionate waste burden adds financial strain to waste management systems. A report by The Recycling Partnership revealed that cities in the U.S. spend over $10 billion annually to manage waste, a cost heavily influenced by the high volume of single-use disposables.
For businesses, single-use products represent a direct cost for procurement (the labor it takes to constantly re-order single-use items that get disposed of) and additional waste hauling and disposal expenses. As opposed to single-use, reuse systems can deliver significant savings. A study by Upstream found that businesses implementing reusable foodware programs reduced their costs, as they no longer needed to purchase single-use items repeatedly.
#2 Reuse protects our oceans and helps lessen plastic pollution
Plastic pollution has been a long time threat to ocean ecosystems, with over 11 million metric tons of plastic waste entering the oceans annually. A significant portion of this pollution originates from single-use packaging, which accounts for 36% of all plastics produced globally. Single-use food and beverage packaging alone makes up two-thirds of the 10 most common plastic items in marine environments, based on data from Ocean Conservancy.
Many of the most commonly found plastic pollution items, such as disposable cups, lids, and cutlery, can be replaced with reusable options and better quality materials. . A new study revealed the plastic bottled water we use to consume water contains 240,000 nanoplastic particles per liter. When we send these bottles to be downcycled or when they end up being thrown away these micro- and nanoplastics do not disintegrate, they sit in whatever environment they end up in and become smaller over time, posing significant health risks to soil, food, and bottled water. Every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enter our oceans, creating a serious environmental threat to marine life and our ecosystems. Reusing 10% of plastic products in the food and beverage sectors could cut global plastic waste by up to 50%. So, anytime we have access to choose reuse packaging options, we're making a serious environmental impact.
People, especially businesses and governments, can play a role in reducing the flow of plastic into the environment and protecting our oceans from further contamination.
#3 Reusing reduces energy consumption
Life-cycle assessments (LCAs) consistently show that single-use items require significantly more energy to produce compared to reusable alternatives. The energy demands for manufacturing single-use plastic bottles are exceptionally high due to the extraction and refining of fossil fuels. According to a study published in Resources, Conservation and Recycling, the total energy required for single-use plastic bottled water production is as much as 2,000 times the energy needed to produce tap water.
Reusable options, such as stainless steel or aluminum water bottles, have an initial higher energy input due to material production. These reusable items eventually reach an energy break-even point. After that, each additional use greatly lowers their overall environmental impact. These reusable items eventually reach an energy break-even point. Research from Ellen McArthur shows that widespread adoption of reusable systems in place of single-use plastic could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70%.
#4 Reuse minimizes microplastic pollution
Single-use plastic bottles are a significant source of microplastic pollution, as they break down over time into tiny fragments that contaminate oceans, waterways, and soil. A study published in Oceanography estimates that up to 12 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the marine environment annually, releasing trillions of microplastic particles as they degrade. These particles harm aquatic life and accumulate in the food chain, causing risks to human health.
Aluminum and glass containers can be infinitely recycled, but single-use plastic bottles are much more complicated. Single-use bottled water, soft drinks, carbonated drinks, sparkling water, and some juices are made of a plastic resin, PET, sourced from non-renewable crude oil. Even though scientists were concerned about PET being unable to break down entirely, manufacturing single-use plastic took off in the beverage industry and led to new, cheaper polyethylene bottles. PET as a material lacks the structure to make another water bottle without the massive addition of virgin PET.
The plastic recycling process is entirely different from aluminum recycling, where the properties of aluminum remain intact, infinitely, and can easily be remelted and recovered over and over again. You can learn more about how single-use plastic bottled water gets downcycled and not recycled here. The single-use plastic that sits in landfills or ends up in the ocean and other waterways takes about 450 years to decompose.
Switching to reusable alternatives can disrupt this harmful downcycling and microplastic waste. Reducing single-use plastic cuts down on microplastic pollution entering the oceans. People and businesses can play a critical role in protecting aquatic ecosystems and mitigating the health risks associated with microplastic contamination by opting for durable, long-lasting reusables.
#5 Reuse alleviates pressure on waste management systems
Global waste infrastructure is under immense strain, with single-use items being a major contributor. The World Bank reports that global waste generation is on track to increase by 70% by 2050, largely due to the addition of single-use plastics. These items often clog landfills, incinerators, and recycling facilities, pushing waste management systems beyond capacity.
Adopting reusable products can significantly ease this burden. By transitioning away from single-use items, communities can create more efficient, sustainable waste management systems and reduce the environmental and economic costs associated with handling disposable waste.
#6 Reuse inspires other sustainable habits
Choosing reusable products can spark broader environmental awareness and action. Studies show that individuals who adopt reusables, such as water bottles, are more likely to embrace other conscious practices, like recycling, composting, and reducing overall consumption. Using reusables creates a "ripple effect," encouraging behaviors that collectively shrink a person's environmental footprint.
This shift is about creating a mindset of responsibility. Every refill or reusable swap reinforces the importance of protecting resources and reducing waste, making it easier for people to contribute to a healthier planet. By starting with reusables, anyone can take a meaningful step toward more sustainable living and inspire others to do the same.
#7 Reuse prevents litter
No one likes a messy space. Litter is an eyesore whether it’s your home, neighborhood, commuting to work, or school. Shifting to reusables eliminates a significant source of litter, reduces cleanup costs, and protects public spaces and waterways. According to a report by Keep America Beautiful, litter cleanup costs U.S. taxpayers nearly $11.5 billion annually. California alone spends over $500 million each year addressing litter-related expenses, much of it stemming from single-use items like plastic bags, cups, and fast food containers.
Fast food packaging is consistently the most common type of litter found during cleanup efforts, as noted in a study by Ocean Conservancy. However, implementing policies that encourage reuse can significantly curb litter. For example, San Mateo County reported an 85% reduction in litter in its storm drain system following adopting a plastic bag ban. Similarly, Washington, D.C., achieved a 75% reduction in plastic bag usage after introducing a fee on single-use plastic bags, and the County of Los Angeles observed a 95% increase in reusable bag usage. A statewide ban in California led to a 60% reduction in single-use plastic bags within a year.
By replacing single-use disposables with reusable alternatives, communities can prevent litter at its source, save millions in cleanup costs, and create cleaner, safer environments for everyone.
#8 Reuse prevents unnecessary exploitation of our natural world
Whenever a single-use item is thrown away, the natural resources used to create it, such as trees, oil, water, and energy, are wasted. These materials are extracted, processed, and manufactured for a product that is often used only once before becoming trash.
Consider the widespread use of single-use items like dining at a restaurant with disposable plates and cutlery, grabbing coffee in a throwaway cup, or receiving plastic cutlery and excess packaging with takeout orders. 98% of single-use plastic packaging is made from virgin fossil fuels, and these single-use items are handed out billions of times daily, leading to a massive drain on natural resources.
The global demand for paper-based products, such as single-use coffee cups, contributes to deforestation. 15 billion trees are cut down each year, with a significant portion used for disposable packaging.
Reusable products directly reduce the need for these extractive processes. A study from the Environmental Research Letters journal shows that substituting single-use items with reusables can decrease resource extraction by 50% over a product’s life cycle. This shift conserves resources and mitigates the associated environmental impacts, such as habitat destruction and pollution.
#9 Reuse saves water
Over their life cycle, reusable products, food ware, and packaging use less water than disposable alternatives. The most substantial water consumption for single-use items occurs during resource extraction and manufacturing phases, which involve water-intensive processes such as refining petroleum for plastics, pulping wood for paper, and mining raw materials.
Research shows that producing a single-use plastic bottle requires approximately 1.39 liters of water, including the water embedded in manufacturing and energy generation. Comparatively, the water required to maintain a reusable bottle, primarily through washing, is considerably lower once the reusable bottle surpasses its break-even point.
The water footprint of bio-based plastics, such as those derived from corn or sugarcane, is disproportionately high due to the irrigation needs of the crops. On the other hand, 85-95% of the water usage for reusables is concentrated in their cleaning phase, which can be minimized through efficient washing practices and using energy and water-saving dishwashers.
#10 Reusing reduces impacts on climate change
LCAs consistently show that reusable products, food ware, and packaging result in significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to their disposable counterparts. Single-use items have the highest climate impacts during the resource extraction and manufacturing phases, whether it’s plastics derived from fossil fuels, paper sourced from trees, bioplastics harvested from crops, or aluminum extracted through energy-intensive mining processes.
The primary GHG emissions associated with reusables stem from washing and maintenance. Still, the impact is so low that it doesn’t compare to extracting or recycling new material to make more single-use items.
It may seem like a tiny decision on a shelf when a reusable product stands next to single-use, but behind that small choice is a huge impact that can be made. We’re in an era where the future depends on our smart maneuvers to nourish ourselves through ample hydration while also taking it easy on the planet. So, if you are wondering how your choice to reuse stacks up, 10 points go to the refillers.
Resources
https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials
https://environmentamerica.org/articles/how-much-trash-does-america-really-produce/
https://recyclingpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2021/05/Paying-It-Forward-5.18.21-final.pdf
https://upstreamsolutions.org/blog/reuse-wins-report
https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2020/07/23/breaking-the-plastic-wave-top-findings
https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/
https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2025/01/15/plastic-bottles-lids-most-commonly-found-cleanups/
https://www.weforum.org/impact/accelerating-reuse-models-world-free-of-plastic-waste/#:~:text=Currently%2C%20half%20of%20global%20plastic,championing%20reuse%20since%20January%202019.
https://www.beyondplastics.org/fact-sheets/plastic-water-bottles
https://tos.org/oceanography/article/the-story-of-plastic-pollution-from-the-distant-ocean-gyres-to-the-global-policy-stage
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2018/09/20/global-waste-to-grow-by-70-percent-by-2050-unless-urgent-action-is-taken-world-bank-report
https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/p-ee1-01.pdf
https://www.hampton.gov/958/Keep-America-Beautiful-Litter-Research#:~:text=The%20researchers%20estimated%20that%20litter%20costs%20the,on%20roadway%20cleanup%20by%20staff%20and%20contractors.
https://doee.dc.gov/bags
https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/#:~:text=Additionally%2C%20some%2098%20per%20cent%20of%20single%2Duse,of%20the%20global%20carbon%20budget%20by%202040.
https://time.com/4019277/trees-humans-deforestation/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9898010/
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/10/28/241419373/how-much-water-actually-goes-into-making-a-bottle-of-water#:~:text=The%20results%2C%20released%20this%20month,water%2C%20wine%20demands%204.74%20liters.