Tamarac Senior Leads Change to Biodegradable Cafeteria Trays

Watching her classmates throw away Styrofoam cafeteria trays after each meal, Shauna Michel grew concerned about the impact it was having on the environment.

The Tamarac senior approached school officials, gathering facts and organizing a presentation for the Board of Education where she asked them to consider an alternative.

The Board was so impressed with Shauna’s research the district switched this year to a tray made of a natural fiber that decomposes completely in 90 days.

“The environment is a big thing for me. This was kind of a personal project because I wasn’t getting graded,” Shauna explained. “But it’s a good feeling because I know I did something to help.”

While Shauna may not have earned a grade for class, she earned a great deal of appreciation from the district for raising her concerns.

“We were all very impressed by Ms. Michel’s presentation and her dedication to improving Tamarac schools,” said Board of Education President Paul Daley. “She clearly did a lot of research and made a great point. The entire Board agreed we needed to make a change.”

Shauna’s initial suggestion was to switch to washable trays. But Neil Haley, Director of Buildings and Grounds, explained the cost would be exorbitant. Purchasing and installing two commercial dishwashers would cost $75,000 alone. There also were long-term costs such as labor and the heating of water to sanitizing temperatures.

But the environmental concerns Shauna raised resonated with Mr. Haley. The district used Styrofoam trays for years because of the low cost, Mr. Haley explained. The district tried a system that melted the trays but it was ineffective and the melted Styrofoam was a concern.

“The Styrofoam trays were one of the biggest trash items we couldn’t recycle,” Mr. Haley said. “They also took up a lot of room, almost half of the total volume of trash. It was like filling up dumpsters with balloons.”

Seeking a solution, Cafeteria Supervisor Joy Wright contacted other school districts. She found some also used Styrofoam trays but one district had switched to a tray made of a natural fiber made from sugarcane and grass.

The district switched to the new cafeteria trays this school year. Shauna said she’s pleased with the change, not only for environmental reasons.

“I think they’re way better. Students like them better too because they’re stronger than the Styrofoam trays,” she said.