FWPS Bulk Milk Program

April 22, 2026

This school year, four Federal Way Public Schools have implemented a small change in the cafeteria that is making a big difference. Evergreen Middle School, Star Lake Elementary, Panther Lake Elementary School, and TAF @ Saghalie have replaced single‑use milk cartons with bulk milk dispensers, reducing waste, saving money, and creating meaningful learning opportunities for students.

This pilot program is made possible through a partnership with Zero Waste Washington and Northwest Food Alliance, with support from the King County Circular Economy Grant. While the shift may seem simple, the impact reaches far beyond lunchtime.

A Star Lake Elementary student during lunch with a reusable cup for milk.

Reducing Waste, One Cup at a Time

Each year, schools throw away thousands of half‑pint milk cartons. By switching to reusable cups and bulk milk dispensers, participating Federal Way schools are significantly cutting down on waste headed to the landfill.

According to Bulk Milk at King County Schools: Gateway to Opportunity by Zero Waste Washington, the district anticipates diverting more than 116,000 milk cartons during the 2025–26 school year across the participating schools, or over 3,000 pounds of waste. Two schools in our district did a month-to-month comparison and found out a reduction of two tons of garbage per month, translating to an estimated $300 per month in waste disposal savings. In total, bulk milk has the potential to reduce milk‑carton solid waste by two‑thirds.

Anticipated number of milk cartons diverted is 116,451 in four FWPS schools, and 3,000 pounds.

Bulk milk projections will reduce about two tons of garbage per month.

In addition to waste reduction, the environmental benefits include lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing and disposing of single‑use cartons.

A Cost‑Effective Solution

Purchasing milk in bulk is less expensive than single‑serve cartons, and reducing trash means lower waste disposal costs over time. Paired with durable trays and reusable cups, the program supports long‑term savings while maintaining safe, nutritious meal service for students.

A “Gateway Project” for Learning

The bulk milk program is unique in that it is considered a “gateway project.” By connecting sustainability with education it opens the door to broader waste‑reduction efforts and hands‑on learning opportunities across classrooms and schools.

Teachers are using the program to support learning across disciplines, including:

STEM concepts such as data tracking, measurement, and systems thinking
Environmental science and climate change discussions
Math through waste audits and cost comparisons
Health and nutrition conversations
Humanities, art, and marketing, as students design signage or awareness campaigns

By seeing the real‑world impact of their choices, students gain a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship.

Students Lead the Way

Several schools involved student groups and green teams in planning and implementation, giving them ownership of the process and its outcomes.

Eighth‑grader Serivong from Evergreen Middle School shared,

“What I’ve learned in class is that reusing materials and reusable cups is good for the environment, and it helps everybody and animals too.”

Another eighth grader at Evergreen, Suzy, who also helps in the kitchen, noticed immediate changes:

“Right now, we have little trash because we have metal cups.
So, it’s good for the environment.”

These firsthand observations reinforce lessons learned in the classroom and help build lifelong sustainable habits.

Collaboration and Training Make It Work

Successful implementation depended on strong collaboration between school leadership, nutrition services staff, custodial teams, and district maintenance staff, who were all engaged from the beginning. Once the equipment was delivered and installed, Zero Waste Washington provided onsite training, so staff felt confident using the dispensers from day one.

Chef Tom French, Principal Consultant with Northwest Food Alliance, emphasized the educational value of the initiative:

“This is real‑world learning for students so that they actually can see the impact that they’re making on the environment.”

Leading Toward a More Sustainable Future

The bulk milk pilot is part of a broader commitment by Federal Way Public Schools to expand reusable utensils, reduce single‑use plastics, and explore more sustainable cafeteria practices. By pairing operational improvements with student learning, the district is helping students understand that even small choices, like using a reusable cup, can have a meaningful impact.

Through strong partnerships and a shared commitment to sustainability, Federal Way Public Schools is building a more sustainable future, one cup of milk at a time.