{"id":65331,"date":"2019-06-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2019\/06\/25\/livegreen-styrofoam-free-food-service\/"},"modified":"2022-09-02T20:06:47","modified_gmt":"2022-09-03T01:06:47","slug":"livegreen-styrofoam-free-food-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2019\/06\/25\/livegreen-styrofoam-free-food-service\/","title":{"rendered":"LiveGreen: Styrofoam-free food service"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few years ago, UNMC\/Nebraska Medicine followed UNL’s resolution<\/a> to become Styrofoam\/polystyrene free in food service.  Foam is cheap to produce\/purchase and an effective insulator, which is why it gets used frequently.  However, it contains hazardous chemicals that can cause cancer and other maladies to the end user, as well those individuals involved in production.  These chemicals also are exhausted into the atmosphere and make foam difficult to break down in a natural environment, leading to more litter and contamination.<\/p>\n

Sodexo stopped using foam clamshells some time ago and phased out foam plates as well.  After input from the med center community, a second, compostable clamshell is now being used<\/a> in the food service locations on the Omaha campus.  <\/p>\n

After those changes were made, the most frequently requested change was the removal of foam cups from floor stock.  Department budgets are set for the fiscal year so we waited at Nebraska Medicine, but that time is now and floor stock will be foam free. (Please be patient, the vendor needs time to scale up to our volume.) <\/p>\n

To further reduce waste, reusable plates are being offered in the Nebraska Café for dine-in customers, and they are washed in the new, water-efficient dishwasher that was installed a little over a year ago.<\/p>\n

Sodexo has been a great partner as we strive to meet our waste goals and has made changes that you may not have noticed.  Did you know they:<\/p>\n