Transcript Reducing Cafeteria Waste - Massachusetts Farm to School
Kathi Mirza MassDEP Municipal Assistance Coordinator Farm to Cafeteria Conference, January 2015
Conference focused on bringing healthy, locally-produced, high-quality products into our schools.
What comes in must go out… in some form
Take time to look at all items managed in the cafeteria to develop best practices in waste reduction, recycling, and composting.
Why put messy, liquid filled containers in the trash?
Reduce costs by separating liquids and pouring them down the drain.
Recycle more of whatever is allowed by your hauler. Cartons are now being recycled in many places as well as bottles and cans. Check with the Carton Council for grants!
Separate and compost food scraps and soiled paper products Compost onsite or send to a farm or composting facility Finished compost can be used in garden: close the loop!
Dishware options for school foodservice operations include: 1.
Washable foodservice ware & dish machines 2.
3.
Compostable foodservice ware Disposable foodservice ware (foam) Key considerations: 1.
Cost 2.
3.
Environmentally friendly Healthy choice for serving both hot and cold food to students
Polystyrene foam is manufactured with a monomer called Styrene .
Styrene leaches out of foam containers into food and beverages. EPA studies conducted in the 1980s showed that 100% of Americans have Styrene in their bodies.
Most municipalities in MA dispose of waste through incineration. EPA reports that stack emissions from waste incineration contain Styrene. And because plastic foam litter is lightweight and easily airborne, it is a major source of ocean pollution, threatening birds and marine mammals.
MA Survey to > 400 School Foodservice Directors in Fall 2014 (with help from DESE) 48 districts responded by Dec 2014 Expect more responses in 2015.
Good news: About half of the schools responding use pour off buckets to keep liquid out of trash.
Yes No 22
Does the school have a liquid pour off bucket in the cafeteria?
22,5 23 23 23,5 24 24,5 25 25 25,5 Bad news: 75% of school districts responding use foam trays in at least one of their schools.
How many schools in your district use foam food service ware?
12; 25% 4; 8% 4; 8% 7; 15% 21; 44% 1 - 4 5 - 7 8 - 10 more than 10 none (blank)
31% of survey responses indicate at least one school in district uses compostable foodservice ware Safer than foam for student health and environment More end of life management options (can compost or dispose) Reduction in trash disposal (if composted) Can use recycled fiber or plant based material in production Improved quality of food presentation compared vs foam Costs $0.08-$0.10 per tray Local Leaders: Beverly, Brookline, Cambridge, Dover Sherborn, Hingham, Manchester Essex, and Walpole Urban School Food Alliance York and Orlando, FL — public school districts in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New
75% of survey responses indicated at least one school in district uses dish machines Best option to reduce waste. Upfront costs to install dish machines and buy durable service items, e.g., trays Avg cost is $4.00/tray or $.00148 per use Local leaders: Ashland, Concord, Framingham, Franklin, Marshfield, and Walpole.
Framingham converted 3 schools to dish machines in 2012 • Trash reduced 50% • Also compost food scraps • Garden at High School
MassDEP Green Team
www.TheGreenTeam.org
Recycling Works MA
www.RecyclingWorksMA.com
MassDEP Regional Municipal Assistance Coordinators: • • • • • • • • Western Mass: Arlene Miller Central Mass: Irene Congdon Southeast 1: Janine Delaney Southeast 2: Kathi Mirza Northeast 3: Carolyn Dann Boston area: Brooke Nash [email protected]
Northeast 2: Sharon Byrne Kishida Barnstable County: Dave Quinn [email protected]