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Recommendations for the Implementation of a Reusable Foodware System in School Nutrition Programs
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This study reviews the literature on reusable foodware systems in school settings, finding that U.S. public school students generate nearly 67 pounds of plastic waste annually from disposable lunch items. Researchers conclude that schools can reduce costs and plastic waste through reusable foodware even without government support, though feasibility improves significantly with institutional and financial backing.
Even as attention on environmental degradation increases, research has generally overlooked schools, or sites of education, in favor of restaurants, as they are perceived to be more central to the problem of plastic waste. Just at public schools alone, each student produces nearly 67 pounds of plastic waste from disposable lunches, consisting of plastic or styrofoam trays, utensils, and packaging (Manukyan, 2023). There are often barriers when considering the cost of reusable foodware at these schools. This article analyzes the current literature on reusable foodware, specifically in the context of schools but also leveraging the literature on restaurants to determine the main barriers before drawing conclusions on the roles of governments, businesses, and schools to alleviate these costs. Overall, it is found that even without government or financial backing, schools can still reduce costs through the implementation of reusable foodware, but a reusable foodware system would be both more feasible with the help of the other two entities.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.