Zero-Waste Lunch

In most cases, lunchroom waste (e.g., food and food packaging) is a large component of a school district waste stream. Fortunately, it is possible to avoid producing this waste in the first place. By implementing a zero-waste lunch program, students, parents/caregivers and teachers can work together to prepare lunches that reduce the amount of trash being thrown away. These efforts can also save parents and caregivers money in the long run. The following are strategies for creating zero-waste lunches for students. Schools and school districts can share this information with students and parents to increase their knowledge of and participation in the districts waste reduction program.

Waste Prevention

Avoid disposable lunch bags. Use lunch boxes or fabric bags for lunch. If paper bags are used, save and reuse them. Avoid prepackaged single serving containers. Buy your favorite treats, such as chips, applesauce, or yogurt, in large packages/containers or in bulk rather than single serving packaging. Repackage snacks in reusable containers such as margarine tubs to avoid using single serving packaging (e.g., plastic bags). If plastic bags are used, they can often be washed out with soapy water and reused. Use reusable containers or thermoses for drinks and soups. Reusable plastic trays that can be washed are the best waste prevention option to serve hot lunches.

Recycling/Composting

Work with your school’s food service and janitorial staff to designate an area for recycling and composting or vermicomposting efforts. Organize a "green team" to remind students how to sort lunch items in order to avoid contamination of collected materials. Also, the green team can make signs to encourage students to put recyclables in designated areas. If reusable containers cannot be used, encourage recyclable drink containers.  Milk now comes in small recyclable polyethylene bags, and many juices and waters are packaged in recyclable plastic or aluminum.  These containers can be redeemed at many recycling centers or may be collected by a local recycler or non-profit organization (e.g. local conservation corps). Remember to check each plastic container for the material container code to see if it can be recycled in your area.

Take Leftovers Home.  Leftover foods don't have to be garbage. Take leftovers home for the family compost pile or coordinate with the school garden staff to collect compostable food waste for on-site composting or vermicomposting.

Composting or vermicomposting lunch ware. If your school uses plates or trays, make sure they are made of materials that can be recycled, composted, or vermicomposted (composted with worms) or better yet reused. Generally speaking, aluminum trays can be recycled. Paper trays can be recycled where opportunities exist if they do not contain significant food residue.  Paper trays can also be composted or vermicomposted even if they have a light wax coating. Composting and vermicomposting work best when the paper is shredded first. Some schools incorporate the use of biodegradable eating utensils though this has not worked well for vermicomposting.

Everything we purchase will eventually be discarded. How much packaging we purchase, whether an item is toxic, reusable, recyclable, compostable, or has recycled content depends on the decisions made when the item is purchased.

Buy Recycled Products. Many reusable products are now made with recycled content. Purchasing these items completes the recycling loop by creating a market for recyclable materials. Close the recycling loop by purchasing recycled products for your school district. The easiest and most widely available recycled products that schools use are recycled copy paper, hand towels, toilet seat covers, and toilet tissue. You can also purchase school supplies and other goods made with post-consumer recycled content. Such materials include lunch trays, lunch bags, pens, pencils, rulers, clipboards, ink jet and toner cartridges, stadium cups, etc. You can find these and other recycled items by searching the CIWMB’s Recycled-Content Product database.

• Zero-Waste policy--Oak Hills School in Ventura County Implemented a zero waste policy and decreased school waste by 90 percent. Additionally, as an integral part of the County of Ventura's Model Schools Program, County of Ventura Environmental and Energy Resources Department (CVEERD) staff will help implement the zero waste lunch program in county schools. CVEERD staff offer workshops at school sites to provide the knowledge and training necessary for a successful program, and explain the cost benefits of going zero waste.
• Waste Free Lunches--Information regarding how to implement or participate in a waste-free lunch program. This site includes sample letters to parents and teachers, information on conducting trash audits, examples of salvaged/recycled art projects, composting basics, where to purchase waste-free lunch kits, success stories from across North America, and links to other waste-free lunch sites.

Food Service/Cafeteria Home

Last updated: September 18, 2008