London, UK – REUSE Foundation, a registered charity in the UK, has announced the launch of their new database, REUSE.IQTM. This database is a free, publicly searchable platform that catalogues over 800 reuse and circular-economy organizations from around the world. The database aims to provide researchers, investors, and policymakers with a single source to track businesses that are working towards preventing single-use plastic waste.
The REUSE.IQ database is now available at reuse.iq.reusefoundation.org and is the most comprehensive open dataset of its kind. It tracks a variety of reuse operators, consumer goods innovators, and circular business models that are committed to preventing plastic from becoming waste.
According to OECD estimates, global plastic production continues to rise while recycling efforts struggle to keep up. Only 9% of plastic produced worldwide was recycled in 2019 and this number is expected to only slightly increase through 2040. REUSE Foundation was established with the goal of shifting the focus from ineffective recycling efforts to the more sustainable practice of reuse. This includes refillable packaging, rental and take-back models, and other circular economy approaches that can prevent plastic waste.
REUSE.IQ was created to provide this emerging sector with a shared, citable data infrastructure, similar to what more mature industries have. “Super exciting to see a comprehensive dataset of reuse activity across the globe! REUSE.IQ provides a vast array of reuse businesses making it easier for the business and research community to access and engage with the reuse ecosystem, a step forward in advancing a circular economy,” says Simran Talwar, Research Director and Circular Economy Lead at the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures.
Each entry in the REUSE.IQ database contains verified details such as the organization’s location, business model, primary category, year founded, and ownership status. This information is collected from public sources and cross-checked by the Foundation’s research team. Users can search and filter the database, browse results in a card or table view, and also view a map for a geographic perspective.
Greg Hewitt, Chair of Action on Plastic UK, states, “This database makes an incredible start to map reuse solutions, which, over the next few years, as DRS and EPR are rolled out, will prove to be really useful to businesses looking for solutions to reduce single-use plastic, and embrace the circular economy. At Action on Plastic UK, our mission is to build a movement taking action on plastic, and we’re certain that this database will help to achieve this.”
The REUSE.IQ database is now available in public beta and the Foundation intends for it to be a living, community-verified resource. Visitors can suggest a new organization for inclusion, report any corrections to existing listings, or express interest in contributing to an in-depth case study. The Foundation expects the database’s coverage and depth to grow significantly as more organizations and members of the public contribute.
Roger Sharp, Trustee of REUSE Foundation, says, “For years, anyone trying to understand the scale of the global reuse movement has had to piece it together from scratch – there was no shared map of who is doing this work, where, and how. REUSE.IQ changes that. By putting a citable, verifiable database of reuse businesses into the open, we want to make it easier for researchers, funders, and policymakers to see this sector clearly, and easier for the businesses themselves to be found, compared, and supported. This launch is a beta and a beginning – we’re inviting the whole reuse community to help us make it more complete.”
REUSE.IQ is currently available for free on the REUSE Foundation website. Organizations that believe they should be listed or wish to correct an existing entry can submit details directly through the site.
About REUSE Foundation
REUSE Foundation (charity number 1207464) is a UK-registered charity dedicated to scaling reuse as an alternative to single-use plastic. Their mission is “A smarter future for plastic starts with REUSE.” The Foundation conducts research and field programs, including their Sponsor a Village campaign which supports a project launching later this year to test village-scale reuse systems in rural India. They also run the Bottles for Good campaign, a UK initiative that supplied free reusable bottles to refill stores to seed reuse. REUSE Foundation also publishes analysis and position papers as well as a monthly newsletter tracking the global transition to reuse. Learn more at reusefoundation.org.
Media Contact
Roger Sharp, Trustee, REUSE Foundation
roger@reusefoundation.org
