Let this sink in!
Each year, the world produces hundreds of millions of tons of plastic, with up to half intended for single use. These items are designed for moments of convenience but can leave a lasting impact long after they are discarded. The amount of plastic produced annually is equivalent to hundreds of Empire State Buildings’ worth of material being made, used, and thrown away.
But change is possible. Since 2011, Clean Water Fund’s ReThink Disposable program has been proving that we can stop trash before it starts by helping communities, schools, businesses, and institutions replace unnecessary single-use items with reusable solutions.
Plastic Free July, a global movement, is a powerful reminder that the choices we make every day can protect our waterways, communities, and planet. Whether we are gathering for summer BBQs, picnics, or beach days, every decision to choose reusables over disposable plastics helps reduce waste and prevent pollution at the source.
ReThink Disposable is making a measurable difference:
- 28 million+ pieces of single-use foodware replaced each year
- 277,390 pounds of waste prevented annually
- $744,774 in annual cost savings for partners
- 500+ businesses and organizations partnering to create change
These results show what is possible when we rethink our habits and invest in solutions that work.
Here are a few updates from our national team and states:
National
Clean Water Fund’s ReThink Disposable program is excited to wrap up a partnership with three National Parks: Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, Petrified Forest in Arizona, and Jamaica Bay in New York. These National Parks have eliminated nearly 100% of their single-use disposable foodwares, installed 11 water refill stations collectively, and created a better circular economy through composting. Each Park will be saving thousands of dollars annually by not purchasing throw-away products and reducing waste hauling fees. There will be dramatic litter reduction and toxic exposure to guests and the environment.
Exciting educational campaigns are underway at each park. Stay tuned for their case studies showing waste and cost reductions.
California
ReThink Disposable in California is wrapping up a five-year contract with the City of Alameda. During that time, we visited over 500 restaurants, converted more than 100, and saw a 10% reduction in overall use of dine-in single use foodware across all restaurants. We are looking ahead to the upcoming Plastic Pollution Mitigation Fund (PPMF) roll out in 2027, which is a $5 billion dollar investment over 10 years in solutions like ReThink that mitigate the environmental and health impacts of toxic plastics.
This will bring a re-branding and expansion of our already successful dine-in conversion program to take-out, food recovery, and compostable options! There is a lot to be excited about in the Golden State, and we encourage you to stay connected to find out more.
Connecticut
After partnering with the Valley Shore YMCA’s Cedar Lake Triathlon for the last 3 years, ReThink Disposable in Connecticut has expanded in Middlesex County through support from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County and the Rockfall Foundation. In June, we set up a free, filtered, water-filling station at the Middletown Pride Fest where tens of thousands of attendees showed up in the blistering heat to celebrate. Hundreds of people stopped by to refill water bottles and cool down. And in August, we will bring Clean Water’s zero-waste racing program to the 4-mile Killingworth Road Race, eliminating hundreds of cups used for just seconds before ending up in the trash.
We’re excited about the momentum we’re gaining in Connecticut as we continue to spread reuse at events across the state.
Massachusetts
In 2025, our ReThink Disposable program in Massachusetts helped three school districts complete case studies on the benefits of switching to reusable cafeteria foodware. From helping schools secure money to install dishwashers to small changes like bulk condiment dispensers, our work and the data it provides is proving that schools can save money and eliminate waste.
We have continued our partnership with CARE for the Cape and Islands and are collaborating to provide reusable cups for five of the New England Endurance Races on the Cape this summer. These are the largest races we have transitioned to zero-waste water stations, with the Falmouth race seeing over 800 participants. In total, we expect to eliminate 5,000-8,000+ disposable plastic cups.
Minnesota
ReThink in Minnesota is wrapping up another season of helping communities “ReThink” their relationship with single-use plastics (SUPs). We have been busy providing training, technical assistance, and mini-grants to help partners implement reusable systems that reduce waste, lower costs, and create long-term solutions. In total, we are preventing over 20,000 lbs of plastic waste from entering the waste stream and saving participants over $40,000 each year.
We’ve partnered with a wide range of food providers, including restaurants, schools, and event venues, while also working with local Minnesota governments to address single-use plastics on a broader scale. Each project demonstrates that small changes in daily operations can lead to meaningful reductions in plastic waste and support a more sustainable future.
New Jersey
ReThink Disposable in New Jersey has shown how local partnerships lead to municipal and state policy. We have partnered with numerous emergency food providers including Meals on Wheels, senior centers, soup kitchens, environmental centers and recently Bloomfield College, to educate and treat people with more dignity by reducing single-use disposables and toxic exposures that can harm health. As a result of these partnerships, over four million single-use plastics are annually eliminated from going into the waste stream, equating to over 35,000 pounds reduced and over $245,000 saved annually by these organizations.
These local partnerships have helped Clean Water Action lead the passage of the state's strongest plastic reduction law since the 2022 bag ban. Commonly called Skip the Stuff and going into effect on August 1, 2026, businesses across the state will only provide single-use cutlery and condiments upon request for take-out orders. There is a dine-in component as well. There are 65 local policies helped show the win-win of Skip the Stuff. ReThink Disposable conducted a case study from the town of Red Bank about a year after they passed their Skip the Stuff ordinance showing annual cost saving to local businesses and approximately 1.5 million disposable cutleries annually eliminated from the waste stream. New Jersey’s leadership on Skip the Stuff and other important bills are helping other states on their campaigns of plastic and toxic reduction.
Pennsylvania
This year, Pennsylvania’s ReThink Disposable program has worked in partnership with ECHO Systems on a series of events promoting reuse and the Philly Unwrapped Waste Reduction Toolkit. We’ve held 4 of our 6 total events so far. Two of them were virtual, one was in West Philly and one was in Kensington. Our next event will be in Germantown on July 13th. The goal of these events is to bring together individuals, businesses, and organizations in Philadelphia to discuss how reuse systems can help businesses cut costs, reduce trash, and protect public health.
Rhode Island
School cafeterias across the state are continuing their progress towards eliminating single-use trays and utensils. Recently, the Cumberland School District used the last of their Get the Foam Out grant funds from the Rhode Island Department of Education to purchase new Ahimsa, stainless-steel trays. Garvin Elementary School has been the pilot school, using the trays during the 2025-2026 school year. Now, with help from our ReThink Disposable Organizer and our partnership with Plastic Free America, we have donated Ahimsa stainless-steel forks and spoons which will roll out at Garvin in the fall of 2026.
Throughout July, follow our Plastic Free July blog series, starting with How to Host Sustainable Celebrations for Plastic Free July by Jenny Vickers, National Communications Manager. Discover her 9 simple swaps for reducing single-use plastics and creating more sustainable celebrations. You will also discover how to join the ReThink Disposable community and nominate a business to go plastic-free.
Then, make sure to take the ReThink Disposable Single-Use Pledge and join the movement to stop trash before it starts.
Discover more about ReThink Disposable HERE!
Want to make a greater impact?
Donate to support our ReThink Disposable Campaign.
