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Six largest school districts in the U.S. are ditching polystyrene trays for eco-friendly, compostable plates

Ian CrosslandMay 22, 2015, 5:14:13 PM
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The Urban School Food Alliance, a coalition of school districts in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami-Dade, Dallas and Orlando, announced, in a press release, that they will be removing polystyrene trays from the schools and replacing them with compostable, round plates.

These school systems account for 2.5 million meals a day and the change will ensure that 225 million polystyrene trays do not end up in landfills every year.  Because the school systems were united, their buying power allowed them to purchase in bulk and save hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost on the transition.

Single use polystyrene containers are banned in places like New York City, as they cannot be effectively recycled and their impact on landfills is egregious.

Polystyrene is a petroleum-based plastic made with styrene, acute exposure of which is known to cause irritation of the skin, eyes, as well as upper respiratory and gastrointestinal effects. Chronic exposure affects the central nervous system showing symptoms such as depression, headache, fatigue, and weakness, and can cause minor effects on kidney function and blood. Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the EPA and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Choosing health over profit, the decision by the USFA not only cleans up the environment but it puts safer products in the hands of the youth.  It is a noted example of how children can learn, first hand, that switching to environmentally friendly materials can make an immediate impact on the world around us.

 

Image Credit: http://www.inhabitots.com/nations-six-largest-school-districts-are-ditching-polystyrene-trays-for-eco-friendly-compostable-plates/

http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-styrofoam.html