This problem was exacerbated during the pandemic when many were forced to accept home deliveries for food when lockdowns were in force.

And contrary to popular belief, biodegradable food packaging isn’t the best solution either due to the lack of recycling and composting facilities.

In fact, a lot of biodegradable plastic ends up in landfills anyway, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide.

The best solution is of course to avoid single-use food packaging altogether by bringing along a container when packing food. But what if one wishes food to be delivered to their homes or offices?

Well, now there’s Tapauware, reusable and returnable food containers that aim to reduce plastic waste.

Tapauware is a venture under Enviu, an organisation that builds start-ups that address social issues. It is spearheaded by Daniel Teoh Yong Liang, who launched the venture in Oct 2021.

“I was shocked that I had ordered more than 200 meals online during the pandemic, so this is an issue that’s very personal to me,” said the 28-year-old civil engineer by training, who is involved in various social enterprises.

If you order food through Tapauware’s partner eateries, either in-person or online, you can request for your food to be packed in returnable food containers by paying a deposit of RM10. The deposit is returned once the food packaging is dropped off at partner restaurants within 14 days.

At the moment, Tapauware is focussing on Shah Alam and its surrounding areas such as Sunway.

Its participating outlets include SpargoEats, Aunty Mary’s Delights, D’Home Fruits, Loop Foods, as well as Zero Waste Earth Store.

In addition to working with food caterers, they also cater to those participating in festivals, where end-users are charged a RM1 rental fee per food packaging.

“If you have an office event, you can tell your caterer to get the food packaging from us,” he said, adding that they aim to increase drop-off points, as well as collaborate with more food vendors, cafeterias and colleges.

Besides food containers, Tapauware has introduced reusable utensils, and in the future, drink packaging as well.

Feedback has been encouraging, and so far, they’ve had 500-600 orders using their reusable packaging. “It’s definitely gratifying when people tell us that we help them stick to their zero-waste habit,” he said.

However, Teoh admits that the venture is in its infancy and that they’re still working on the best business model as many people are reluctant to pay for reusable packaging.

“It’s almost impossible to compete with plastic in terms of price and convenience.

“In Europe, reusable packaging is extremely popular as they have plastic taxes; there needs to be policy support to make this viable here,” he pointed out, adding that mass adoption of reusable packaging must also benefit food businesses.

At the end of the day, there is a cost to everything, including environmental damage. “At the moment, Tapauware is internalising the cost for you, but we can’t charge the same as single-use packaging or we will be making a loss.”

Contrary to popular belief, many people are concerned about the environment but lack the information and resources on how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

“With the conversations I’ve had with many people, it’s wonderful to discover that at the heart of it, a lot of people do care; it’s just that they may not feel empowered enough to take action, and that’s where Tapauware comes in,” he said.

Nevertheless, he said that although many now choose paper packaging over plastic, even these contain a plastic lining that render them non-recyclable and non-biodegradable.

Unfortunately, it takes up to 500 years for plastic to decompose, and of all the billions of plastic waste material generated globally, less than 10% has been recycled.

So, do consider bringing your own containers or opt for Taupauware’s the next time you’re buying food.

Check out Tapauware’s website as well as its Facebook and Instagram accounts.