Sodexo and UT Dining have recently made the economical switch from Styrofoam to recyclable takeout boxes. This change has helped to create a more eco-friendly environment among the UT cafeteria and possibly to other eating facilities on campus.
School waste, such as in-class recycling, green waste recycling and others, is up to 80 percent recyclable, according to lessismore.org. Many schools have chosen to start recycling due to the large amount waste they produce, much that can be recycled. However, 4.8 percent of school waste, such as Styrofoam, is non-recyclable trash.
Switching from Styrofoam to recyclable material has also saved schools money. The switch saves the average college about 36 percent of the money previously spent on non-recyclable materials, according to lessismore.org. Goleta Union School District saves $47,000 to $71,000 a year just by recycling.
UT junior Emma Badger thinks UT Dining’s green decision is a good step.
“I applaud the transition towards recyclable containers because Styrofoam contains known carcinogens and using Styrofoam sends a bad message about where UT is going in the 21st century,” Badger said.
Although recyclable takeout boxes and Styrofoam boxes are both reusable, recyclable can last longer, according to benefits-of-recycling.com. Styrofoam is also non-biodegradable, and due to its light weight, the polystyrene within it takes a while to disintegrate. Styrofoam is one of the main components in marine debris. The main reason it cannot be recycled is because most recycling companies do not accept polystyrene.
When making Styrofoam, there are 57 chemicals released into the air, which can cause air pollution, greenliving.lovetoknow.com. When Styrofoam is used for packaging food, some of these chemicals can leak into the food. Plus, recyclable takeout boxes are microwavable. If microwaved, Styrofoam begins to melt after a while and can start to condense on food. Such is not the case with recyclable material.
Other UT students, such as sophomore Valerie Wolak, join in Badger’s enthusiasm for the new recyclable boxes.
“I’m not a huge fan of Styrofoam,” Wolak said. I like that this is now eco-friendly.”
Sophomores Victoria Santorelli and Breana Caturano both said that there should be signs directing students to places where they can recycle now that they have recyclable boxes. They said that they only know there are recycling bins in each dorm because they are involved in student government.
“They should move [the recyclable boxes] over to Stadium now that they have recycling in the dorms,” Santorelli said. “It would be much easier.”
“[The boxes] are great, but they should make it known where recycling is on every floor in each dorm,” Caturano said.
The eco-friendly attitudes among UT students show that there is support for UT to take more environmental initiative.