Brown Avenue Elementary swapped plastic foam trays for stainless steel ones, cutting cafeteria waste by 90 percent while teaching kids valuable lessons about sustainability.
Sarah Raza reports for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Brown Avenue Elementary in Rhode Island replaced plastic foam lunch trays with reusable stainless steel ones, reducing waste from nine 50-gallon bags to just one-third of a bag.
- The change was driven by the state’s plastic-foam ban, with funding from a grant to purchase the trays and a dishwasher already in place to ease the transition.
- Students and staff embraced the new system, which not only reduces environmental harm but also teaches children to recycle, compost and rethink waste habits.
Key quote:
“They’re not just toxic for the planet, they’re toxic for human health.”
— Manasa Mantravadi, pediatrician and founder of stainless-steel dinnerware brand Ahimsa
Why this matters:
Plastic foam contains chemicals linked to cancer and hormonal disruptions, posing risks to children’s health. Rhode Island’s shift to reusables shows how schools can lead in reducing both environmental and health impacts of single-use plastics, offering a model for nationwide change.
