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Choose to Reuse

Choose to Reuse

Overview

Take out containers and packaging contribute to a large percentage of our waste as they travel from restaurant to landfill. Help us reduce our impact on the environment by participating in our Choose to Reuse programs, Bring Your Own Mug and Reusable Eco-containers. Click the tabs to learn more about each program.

Bring Your Own Mug

Request your warm beverage to be served in your reusable mug at any of our participating locations on campus to receive a 25¢ discount and save a take-out cup from going to landfill.

What Kind of Mug Can I Bring?

  • Any personal reusable mug.
  • Mug must be clean.

WHERE CAN I PARTICIPATE?

Second Cup

Second Cup (PGCLL)

Centro@Commons

Centro@Commons (Commons)

Starbucks

Starbucks (MUSC)

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons (MUSC, Bistro-2-Go)

La Piazza

La Piazza (MUSC)

ByMac's Rejuvenate

ByMac’s Rejuvenate (DBAC)

Reactor

Reactor (Thode Library)

CaFFeINe

CaFFeINe (BSB)

IAHS Café

IAHS Café (IAHS)

Café One

Café One (MDCL)

Fireball Café

Fireball Café (JHE)

Williams Fresh Café

Williams Fresh Café (HSC)

ReusePass

We have launched a new reusable to-go container program – Choose to Reuse – ReusePass to reduce packaging waste. By participating in the Choose to Reuse program, you can help McMaster University achieve its sustainability goals while also taking steps to protect the environment.

The Choose to Reuse program is open to active students, staff, and faculty and available at Centro @ Commons, Bistro @ Mary Keyes, and the Lincoln Alexander Dining Hall (LAH).

The disposable to-go fee is $1.25. Customers can dine in or opt for their meals in a green container to save money and reduce waste.

Expandable List

ENJOY. Order your to go order in a “green container” and check out with your ReusePass. Scan your ReusePass at the cash in Centro, LAH, and/or at the pick up stations in the Bistro.

RETURN. Return your empty container to the return bins at Commons, Mary Keyes and/or LAH to avoid late fees. Used containers will be washed and sanitized in our dish room.

REUSE. Save the $1.25 paper takeout fee and reduce waste by selecting to dine-in or “Choose to Reuse” each time you eat at Centro @ Commons, Bistro @ Mary Keyes, and LAH.

Students, staff, and faculty can participate in the Choose to Reuse program. The program makes checking out a reusable container a lot like checking out a library book!

To download/access your ReusePass – go to https://app.reusepass.com/mcmaster and enter your phone number. Once you’ve verified your phone number, you’ll be asked to sign in with your MacID and password. Don’t worry, it’s a fast process!

Once you’ve acknowledged the terms, you’ll get access to your ReusePass account. Open your pass. You can add it to Apple Wallet or screenshot it to save it to your phone. A cashier will scan this QR code along with the reusable container at checkout to associate the container with your account – just like checking out a library book!

You can access your account at any time using https://app.reusepass.com/mcmaster.

Once you check out your first container, you’ll receive an SMS from ReusePass with details on how the program works and a link for how to access your ReusePass account. You can reference your ReusePass account to see a full record of all the containers you’ve checked out, when they are due back, and if you’ve missed any due dates.

Reuse Pass App Screenshot

 

Containers should be returned to the Choose to Reuse collection bins in the Commons lobby, the Mary Keyes lobby, or the LAH dish return. Containers should be empty before returning.

You do not need to scan them. The dishwasher team will take care of that.

Containers are due back 3 days after checkout. If you fail to return within that 3-day window, the container will be marked as “Late”. You have 48 hours to return a “Late” container; containers that are not received by the end of the “Late” window will be liable for a $5.00/container charge, charged to your student account at the end of the semester. This fee will cover the cost to repurchase the container.

Containers that are shown under the “Due soon” section of your ReusePass account are containers you have recently checked out that are still within the 3-day checkout window and have not yet been scanned in by a team member.

Containers that have not been returned by the end of the 3-day checkout window will be marked as late. Don’t worry, late doesn’t mean charged! Once a container is late, you have 48 hours to return it. Containers that are not received by the end of the late window will be liable for an $5.00 charge. Charges will be posted to student accounts at the end of the semester.

Late charges for the Fall semester will be processed on Thursday, December 24, 2026. Late charges for the Winter semester will be processed Friday, April 23, 2027. Student accounts will be charged on Mosaic.

Late Fee Structure

  • Checkout Window: 3 Days
    • The amount of time you have to return a rented container.
  • Pending
    • The container was due recently. We’re checking to see if it’s been returned.
  • Late Warning: 2 Days
    • A warning that we haven’t received your return. The rental window closes 2-days after the container is marked as late.
  • Rental Window Closes
    • Fines are applicable if the return has not been received.

No, you are not able to microwave the containers due to the RFID technology that has been added this year. Microwaving the container may damage the tag and could impact our ability to scan your container back in to avoid late fees.

That’s ok; you can access your ReusePass on a desktop computer or laptop at https://app.reusepass.com/mcmaster. Then you print out your QR code and ensure you have it on you at cash out.

Sorry, at this time we can only give out reusable containers if they are connected to a personal QR code.