EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The East Brunswick School District is making positive strides in its sustainability initiatives.
The school district will soon transition to biodegradable utensils to reduce environmental impact.
During the Board of Education meeting held last week, Superintendent Victor Valeski gave the BOE and community a peek into the new biodegradable utensils.
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Made from starch alternatives, the new utensils are made from renewable plant sources like potato starch. According to Valeski, the new utensils provide a “compelling solution to the environmental concerns posed by plastic waste.”
“These biodegradable utensils decompose naturally, minimizing their ecological footprint,” Valeski said.
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The Superintendent thanked Director of Financial Services Joseph Crotchfelt who worked with Aramark to research and come up with alternatives that meet the needs of the district. The challenge was to come up with a product that was not only durable but ecologically significant as well.
“I think he hit a home run with this because he had a lot of options that he was considering, but looking at cost, durability, and long-term solution, I think he did a great job,” Valeski said.
Additionally, Valeski noted that the district and the Child Nutrition Department have focused on sustainability for years, having eliminated Styrofoam and plastic straws and increasing the use of eco-friendly products, while reducing food waste.
“We’ve made efforts to use more environmentally-friendly products like napkins that are made of 100 percent recycled materials that are produced in a chlorine-free, energy and water-efficient process,” Valeski said.
The Superintendent told the community that the district has overall reduced its food waste during the 2024 school year.
“We serve 5587 meals per school day while limiting kitchen food waste, and that’s all the scraps and prepared food that wasn’t purchased. And gotten that down to 2.3 pounds per school per day,” Valeski said.
The district continues to operate share tables at all of schools, resulting in the reduction of student food waste. All new equipment in the district is also energy efficient.
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