Lunchtime at Harrington Elementary School will look a little different — and a lot greener — next fall.
The town of Lexington is rolling out reusable tableware at the elementary school as part of a sustainability initiative expected to reduce waste and save money. Harrington will be the second school in the district after Hastings Elementary to adopt reusables.
The project, backed by a $10,000 grant from the Community Endowment of Lexington, will allow Harrington to replace single-use compostable plates and utensils with reusable alternatives beginning in the 2025-26 school year. The switch is expected to cut down on more than 5,000 pounds of waste annually and save the district more than $17,000 each year.
Using compostable plates and silverware is “so [much] better than plastic, but not as good as reusables,” said Maggie Peard, the town’s sustainability and resilience officer.
Waste reduction is a big benefit of the change, as there will be a decrease in single-use disposables going to landfills, said Kevin Silvia, food services manager for Lexington Public Schools (LPS) and resident district manager at Whitsons Culinary Group.
“Over time, reusables also have a lower carbon footprint, especially when factoring in transportation and production of disposables,” Silvia said.
Silvia also pointed to long-term cost savings despite the upfront investment in trays, utensils and dishwashing equipment.
“Over a few years, it can save money by reducing ongoing costs of disposables,” he said.
Beyond finances and sustainability, Silvia emphasized the educational value of reusables for Harrington’s 375 students.
“This teaches students about sustainability, responsibility and environmental stewardship — it’s a great tie-in for schoolwide green initiatives or even the STEM curriculum,” he said.
Meal presentation is another plus.
“Food often looks better and feels more like a ‘real meal’ on reusable trays and with proper silverware, which may even improve meal participation,” Silvia added.
The initiative was the result of months of planning and collaboration across town departments and school leaders.
Peard credited members of the Lexington Public Schools Green Teams — particularly Lin Jensen and Tina McBride — along with support from Amber Schmidt of the Clean Water Fund’s ReThink Disposable program for bringing the idea forward. The rest of the project team included Shawn Newell, assistant director of public facilities, as well as Peard and Silvia.
“The team did site visits of all the schools to inspect dishwashers, or lack thereof, and available space in the kitchens,” Peard said. “Harrington and Fiske were identified as the best schools to start with because of the space available to install new dishwashers.”
The dishwasher installation is scheduled for June, and cafeteria employees are expected to receive training over the summer to prepare.
“LPS Food Services was very receptive to the change,” Peard said. “We will see how students react in the fall.”
Peard hopes the shift will not only reduce waste, but also instill lifelong habits in young students.
“We are hopeful it will help establish good habits in the students to choose reusable products when they can, and to make them less accustomed to using single-use products,” she said. “With composting already in place… lunch will be a very low-waste event each day.”
Parents have also expressed support for the shift.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” said Michelle Kim, whose son attends Harrington Elementary School. “It’s a small change, but it sends a message about caring for the environment.”
She said she appreciates how the initiative teaches her son that even simple, everyday choices, like what kind of plate you eat on, can make a difference.
As for what’s next, Peard said expansion is on the horizon — if funding allows.
“That’s definitely the hope,” she said. “Fiske would likely be the next school.”
This story is part of a partnership between the Lexington Observer and the Boston University Department of Journalism.
Kudos to the sustainability team that got this project off the ground! We spend so much every year on disposables- everything from one-use utensils to compostable plates. Along with composting the food waste, the schools are an example for us all.