KALAMAZOO, MI -- Starting Friday, Oct. 17, Kalamazoo Public Schools students will eat their lunch off biodegradable trays.

The change will be more environmentally friendly than the Styrofoam trays the district has historically used, a KPS press release said.

The district began piloting the switch at Prairie Ridge Elementary School earlier this year.

“We just realized when we were doing the math that we were putting about 1 million Styrofoam trays into the landfill each year,” said Kirsten Strong, the district’s registered dietician. “We always want to aim to have a lighter carbon footprint.”

Biodegradable trays cost 12 cents per tray. Styrofoam trays cost 7 cents per tray.

To offset the cost, the district will make changes in other areas, like buying bulk condiments instead of individ

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