Reusable Foodware (RFW) Grant Program

Reusable dishware is on the rise in school cafeterias throughout Alameda County. In just one year, five Unified School Districts—Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, and Fremont—launched or prepared pilots to replace single-use foodware, such as plastic sporks and 5-compartment lunch trays, with reusable alternatives. Most projects are supported by grant funding from StopWaste and Plastic Free Restaurants, with technical assistance from the Center of Environmental Health (CEH).

BENEFITS OF AN RFW PROGRAM:

• Reduction in waste. Based on data from the Alameda project, switching prevents the use of over 495,000 reusable items/2500 pounds of trash each year.
• Protects children’s health. Fiber-based disposable lunch trays typically used by schools can leach PFAS—also known as ‘forever chemicals’—into students’ food. PFAS are a class of over 15,000 man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or people’s bodies and can lead to serious health problems.
• Teaches sustainable habits to our kids. Will adopt sustainable habits early in life and use them in their everyday lives at home and in their neighborhoods. Together we can make a difference!

Interested in transitioning your school to reusables?
Click on the links to learn more about:

• StopWaste’s Grant Program
• The Center of Environmental Health
• The Ditch Disposables Toolkit
• The Plastic-Free Restaurants Guide