Lambton College has taken a step toward being environmentally 'friendlier' by adding a new system in its cafeteria to reduce single-use plastic waste.
The school recently launched a food container program, held in partnership with a company called Friendlier.
Most of the food served in the cafeteria, through food service provider Chartwells, will be in blue reusable containers with clear lids.
During checkout, consumers will pay a $0.50 deposit which they can recover through the Friendlier app. After a one-time sign-up, consumers can place the containers in a specified collection bin for the deposit to eventually be returned.
Otherwise, the deposit will not be returned but consumers will have a reusable container to use for the future.
Lambton College Senior Vice President Mary Vaughan said conversations to implement the initiative started about a year ago.
With a commitment to sustainability, Vaughan said they questioned what the school can do to reduce waste while teaching students to be environmentally aware.
"So that they can leave Lambton knowing that there's way too much waste out in the community, and [know] they then be environmentally conscious and make informed decisions on how to protect the environment," she said.
Vaughan said returned containers will be sanitized in-house and reused in the cafeteria.
"No more of these plastic plates, and plastic forks and knives... gone!"