New business focuses on reuse, reduce concepts

Amy Robinson is taking a step toward lessening plastic waste by helping the local community reuse and reduce with her new business, Pantry Collective.

The aim of Pantry Collective is to reuse the jugs, jars and bottles already in use and purchase less of new plastics. Robinson refills used containers with hand soap, laundry soap, shampoo, and body wash.

While recycling for most is a more familiar way to help keep plastics out of the oceans, reusing and reducing could be even more important elements to the solution. With the recent closure of the Whitefish centralized recycling location, many people are now seeking options for used plastic containers, says Robinson.

Pantry Collective opened in October and has been depending on word of mouth and visits to its website but Robinson plans to open an online store soon. It will feature pictures and information about the products and facilitate additional sales.

Robinson delivers to Columbia Falls and Whitefish and can weigh and fill containers in her van.

“The more people buy from me, the less plastic we will all use,” she said.

People have been contacting her with questions about how the service works. They visit the website, decide what they would like and contact her to make arrangements. Customers are able to get and pay for just the amount they need.

People can buy as much or as little as they’d like. She charges for the hand soaps, shampoos and body washes by the ounce.

Pods of dishwasher soap and laundry detergent are sold in bags of 30, an amount that would last about a month. They are the most popular sellers thus far.

“I buy from companies that also have this waste ethic,” Robinson explained.

The dish soaps and laundry soaps come to Robinson in large containers. When she returns the empties, the company cleans and reuses them.

Robinson also sells glass and metal bottles with pumps for people who don’t like the look of that used soap bottle on their sink. She also has a variety of scrub brushes made of wood and natural bristles, as well as loofahs, and other reusable cleaning supplies. Bamboo toothbrushes and chewable teeth cleaning tabs are available as well.

The shed that houses her business may be small but the problem it addresses is large.

According to the EPA’s website, of the 35.7 million tons of plastic generated in the United States in 2018, the containers and packaging category totaled over 14.5 million tons. This category includes bags, sacks and packaging like bottles and plastic jugs.

In 2018, 9% of the total plastic waste generated was recycled while 76% went into the landfill.

Reusing containers is a small step that can make a big difference in these statistics. Reusing and reducing can also give a feeling of being in control in a world where that feeling is rare.

Right now, Robinson is purchasing in smaller amounts but looks forward to being able to buy larger amounts. She says she is helping the community one bottle at a time.

There is another reason Robinson is passionate about reducing plastic waste, her two-year-old daughter.

“I want to do the best I can to leave something better for her,” she said.

For more information contact Amy Robinson at pantrycollectivenw.com