No more disposables: it's so easy to be sustainable at lunch! Sustainability has been a focus at the university for years - and there are plenty of ways to act in an environmentally conscious way. One important step: less waste from disposable products! For this reason, the canteen and cafés on campus use reusable containers. These are not only practical, but also durable and help to reduce waste.

Since 2021, it has been possible to take meals to go in Vytal boxes in the canteen. The Vytal boxes are versatile: they are suitable for the popular cheese schnitzel as well as for many other hot dishes, soups, cold salads and snacks. “A super good alternative to plastic packaging for 'food to go' - it's good for the environment,” says Ines Perl, a user of the system.

Vytal container from the canteen with various dishes (Photo: Jana Dünnhaupt / Uni Magdeburg)

With Vytal, borrowing works in a similar way to borrowing books from a library: each container has an individual QR code and a name. Users scan the code with the app on their cell phone. The bins then appear in the user's Vytal app. Anyone who returns them within 14 days of borrowing them will receive the reusable packaging completely free of charge. “The system works differently to a deposit system; you have to make some adjustments,” explains Perl. “It's not uncommon to be juggling a tablet in one hand and a cell phone in the other in front of the checkout in order to scan everything in time before paying.”

Vytal app for borrowing the To-Go containers via QR code (Photo: Jana Dünnhaupt / Uni Magdeburg)

For the canteen at the university, using this system has another advantage: according to Vytal, caterers pay “less than for their disposable packaging” when they hand out the Vytal packaging. “With a return rate of 99 percent and a return time of less than four days, Vytal is more efficient than the German bottle deposit system”, reads a press release from the company.

In addition, RECUPs offer another sustainable solution for the to-go area. This system is offered at most cafés on campus. It's easy to use: you get your coffee or tea to go in a RECUP for a deposit of 1 euro. After you've enjoyed your coffee or tea, you return the used containers and get the deposit back - the cups then go back into the deposit system cycle and the process starts all over again.

After use, the Vytal boxes are also simply returned to the canteen and reused after thorough cleaning. Maren Preßler, ecotrophologist at the "Studentenwerk Magdeburg", emphasizes: “Returning boxes with mouldy contents is a violation of Vytal's terms and conditions. These are documented and consistently forwarded to Vytal.”

Despite some minor challenges, the sustainable concept has been well received: “The app shows exactly how many containers you have borrowed and when they need to be returned,” says Perl. They can also be returned by colleagues, which makes the process easier.

Thanks to the sustainable reusable containers, every visit to the canteen or café is not only a culinary experience, but also an important step towards a more sustainable future.