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Cooley Elementary fifth-graders urge Waterford School District to replace Styrofoam lunch trays
Summary
Fifth-graders from Cooley Elementary presented research to the Waterford School Board at the meeting, saying Styrofoam trays used for district breakfasts and lunches are not recyclable and pose health and environmental risks; students suggested alternatives and board members said they would look into the issue.
Fifth-graders from Cooley Elementary told the Waterford School Board on Tuesday that the district should stop serving meals on Styrofoam trays and adopt reusable or compostable alternatives.
The students said their research shows the trays are not recyclable, take centuries to break down in landfills, and can leach toxic chemicals when used with hot food. "We were surprised that our breakfast and lunch trays were not recyclable," said Juliana Torres, a fifth grader in Ms. Launteen's class at Cooley Elementary. "What we discovered in our research was not only that our breakfast and lunch trays are not recyclable, but we also learned that once they go to the landfill, it takes more than 500 years for them to break down."
Why this matters: students said health and environmental concerns and the availability of alternative tray options warrant district attention, and several trustees praised the students for proposing solutions.
The students offered specifics. "Styrofoam has an extremely toxic chemical in it called polystyrene. ... When you are drinking or eating something hot off of it, the heat from your food causes the chemicals to spread out into your food," said Oluwatamiwa Ogedingbe, a fifth grader. Charlie Gower, another fifth grader, outlined alternatives including reusable plastic trays and paper or fiber trays made from sugarcane, wheat straw or bamboo. "As you can see, there are many environmentally friendly alternatives we can use instead of Styrofoam," he said.
Board members responded with both praise and practical questions. Member Patricia told the students, "it's something that I can guarantee you that we will be looking at," while noting district decisionmakers must consider cost and operational issues. Member MacGregor praised the students for civic engagement. Secretary Ristich gave a grading quip â "A plus" â about their presentation and noted the quality of their essays and research.
No formal action was taken at the meeting. Board members repeatedly thanked the students and asked for copies of the students' research and presentation materials so staff could review options. Assistant Superintendent Holly introduced the students and asked them to provide their materials to the district.
The presentation took place during the "Celebrations of Learning" portion of the agenda and included multiple student speakers and their teacher, Adrienne Launteen. The board did not vote or direct staff to a specific procurement action during the meeting, but trustees expressed interest in additional information about alternatives, costs and health research the students cited.
Ending: The students left the meeting with an invitation to share their presentations with the board; trustees said they expected staff to review the materials and report back, but no staff report date was specified during the meeting.
