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Church Street Elementary School Reaches Nearly Zero Waste

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Church Street Elementary School in White Plains has reached nearly zero waste with only three pounds of trash from nearly 700 students in the lunchroom, under the leadership of Principal Myra Castillo and Assistant Principal Merle Jackson.

Church Street Elementary School in White Plains has reached nearly zero waste with only three pounds of trash from nearly 700 students in the lunchroom

Church Street Elementary School in White Plains has reached nearly zero waste with only three pounds of trash from nearly 700 students in the lunchroom

Photo Credit: Contributed

Castillo allows time for food service, facilities, teachers, and teachers aids to be trained on why the "We Future Cycle" recycling program is valuable for the social development of the students. 

How the system works to get to zero waste: The students empty their left over liquids into a bucket, sorting the container into either milk cartons or commingled. Then all remaining plastic is sorted into commingled and all food waste and paper products are dumped into compost and the tray is stacked neatly. 

Only the students that bring lunch from home in disposable packaging are contributing to trash. Non-recyclables are chip bags, drink pouches, soft plastic wrappers, sandwich baggies, go go squeeze packaging and things along those lines. Next steps will be to actively involve the parents to be part of the zero waste solution.

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