Case Study: SUNY New Paltz achieves 97% return rates and major landfill waste reduction with Topanga ReusePass

How Saint Mary’s College went from a failed token-based reusables program to immediate results with Topanga’s ReusePass program

Saint Mary's College, a public university, partnered with dining services provider Sodexo to find a long-term reusables solution. Their existing analog-token program was failing, resulting in low student adoption, lost containers, and an inability to expand into mobile ordering. They diner experience.

Topanga implemented its ReusePass solution, which featured RFID scanning for automated processing and a direct integration with GrubHub for frictionless mobile orders. The solution included operational training, marketing support, and live customer support. This resulted in a 97% average container return rate, over $47,000 in savings on single-use packaging, and more than 130,000 containers diverted from landfills. The Topanga program saw high student enrollment and usage, proving far more successful than the previous system.

Saint Mary's College