Hilo Launch Press Release

November 9, 2026

Hawaiʻi Launches First Municipal System for Reusable To-Go Food and Drink Containers in the U.S.

Hoʻi program projected to divert substantial waste out of landfill and oceans annually

Today, the Hoʻi Returnable Dish Program, the country’s first permanent city-wide municipal reuse system, launched in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.

The new program eliminates the need for single-use containers by providing participating businesses with stainless-steel food and drink containers that customers return to any of the many public drop points around town. Items are collected, washed, inspected and redistributed — creating a circular system that reduces dependence on disposable foodware.

"We know that residents and businesses want more options for reducing waste," said Mayor Kimo Alameda. "Hoʻi offers an affordable, accessible alternative to single-use containers that supports our economy and keeps trash out of our landfill."

Every year, 32.5 million units of disposable foodware make the 70+ mile journey to the island's only landfill. At a 50% adoption rate, the program is projected to divert 171 metric tons of waste from the landfill annually, according to nonprofit Perpetual, the reuse experts that guided the design and implementation of the program.

Administered by the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Environmental Management, the program is funded by $2.1 million of EPA grants and $1.8 million in private contributions, and will be operated by VYTAL, a global reuse service provider.

"Our mission is to make reuse effortless and mainstream," said Dr. Tim Breker, Founder & President of VYTAL. "This partnership is a meaningful opportunity to make reuse the community default — good for businesses, people, and ocean ecosystems alike."

The program was designed with input from more than 4,500 community members and more than 100 businesses over two years, led by Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island and Perpetual, in collaboration with The Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management, and The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program.

"Hoʻi means 'to return,'" said Kuʻulei Keawekane, Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island's cultural advisor. "The name reflects both the journey of the containers and the community's desire to return to our original way of caring for the land and each other."

Jenniver Navarra, Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island program director, commented: “This initiative uplifts community wellness while addressing the urgent problem of plastic pollution. It’s about building a healthier future for our families and our island.”

For businesses, the cost to participate in the program is comparable to compostable packaging. Consumers pay nothing to use the stainless steel containers unless they do not return them within 7 days.

“This pioneering program will demonstrate the potential for infrastructure-backed reuse systems at scale to deliver what communities want – convenient, safe food and drinks – without the things they don’t want: waste and pollution in their community,” said Ellie Moss, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Perpetual.

This project has been generously supported by national and local funders, including: The 11th Hour Project, a program of the Schmidt Family Foundation; Plastic Solutions Fund; The Overbrook Foundation; The Coca-Cola Foundation; The Healy Foundation; Tundra Glacier Fund; Atherton Family Foundation; EPA – Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling and Pollution Prevention programs; The Walmart Foundation; and the EPA Trash Free Waters Program.

To learn more about how Hoʻi works, the pick up locations and participating businesses visit www.hoi-return.com. For businesses, schools or institutions interested in participating in the program, fill out the contact form here or email outreach@hoi-return.com.

Hoʻi Abstract

Hoʻi is the country’s first city-wide returnable foodware program serving the community of Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Customers can choose Hoʻi containers free of charge, as long as they return the items within 7 days. Customers return the checked-out containers to any of the 100+ public Return Points or at any participating business. For businesses, the cost is comparable to compostable packaging. Hoʻi means "to return" in Hawaiian — a nod both to returning the containers and to honoring traditional ways of caring for the land. Learn more at hoi-return.com.

Hoʻi is the result of multiple partnerships including:

VYTAL is a global leader in reusable packaging solutions, using data-driven technology to help over 7,000 B2B customers across 24 countries eliminate single-use waste.

Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island (ZWHI) engages Hawaiʻi Island communities in reducing packaging waste through system-level change, guided by Hawaiian cultural values that honor the ancestral relationship between people and land.

The University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program is part of UH Mānoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology and one of 34 NOAA-supported Sea Grant programs nationwide. Hawaiʻi Sea Grant has advanced research, education, and extension services for sustainable coastal and marine resources since 1968.

The Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management is on a mission to maintain a clean, healthy island environment and promote stewardship and sustainability by managing wastewater and solid waste services, waste reduction and resource recovery in a comprehensive, responsive, safe and efficient manner.

Perpetual is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping businesses, local governments, and communities in four U.S. partner cities design and implement affordable, accessible city-wide reusable foodware systems.

Note: While the title of this article refers to Hawaiʻi as the “first in the 'U.S.”, Hoʻi acknowledges that many Native Hawaiians and others view Hawaiʻi as an independent nation under ongoing occupation. For more information on U.S. and Hawaiʻi relations, see the U.S. Apology Resolution (Public Law 103-150).

Media Contacts:

Tom Callis

Public Information Officer

Office of the Mayor, County of Hawaiʻi

Desk Phone: 808-961-8316

Mobile Phone: 808-767-2471

Email: tom.callis@hawaiicounty.gov

Bethany Letoto

Program Manager

VYTAL

Mobile Phone: 808-481-8658

bethany.letoto@vytal.org