Original story published by Waste Advantage on February 4, 2026.
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Texas Disposal Systems (TDS), in partnership with Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) and Keep San Marcos Beautiful (KSMB), is proud to support the launch of a compostable tray pilot program at Hernandez Elementary School, in San Marcos, TX, through the $5,000 Eco Warrior Grant. In partnership with Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), Eco Academy awarded its first Eco Warrior Grant to Keep San Marcos Beautiful (KSMB) in September 2025.
The compostable tray pilot program officially launched Monday, January 12, 2026. The program replaces all the styrofoam trays in the cafeteria with compostable trays that can be composted after being used. Making this change will reduce the amount of waste going into the landfill as the previous polystyrene lunch trays are a single-use landfill item that cannot be recycled or composted and represent the largest amount of waste (by volume) from school cafeterias.
This program is designed to replace traditional single-use materials and model sustainable practices across all schools. The TDS Eco Academy team was on-site during the launch of this initiative to support implementation and provide hands-on waste education for students and staff.
“As part of this launch, our Eco Academy team is excited to support students and staff as they adopt more sustainable practices,” said Greg Behl, Sustainability and Diversion Coordinator at Texas Disposal Systems. “This compostable tray pilot shows what’s possible when schools are equipped with the right tools, education, and community partnerships.”
The Eco Warrior Grant program provides schools with funding and resources to strengthen recycling, composting, and environmental education efforts, while encouraging students to take an active role in sustainability on their campuses. The Hernandez Elementary pilot is one of several initiatives supported by TDS Eco Academy during the 2025–2026 school year.
“TDS’ Eco Academy has been essential to the successful rollout of this compostable tray pilot program,” says Cherise Hanf, Assistant Principal at Hernandez Elementary School. “By switching from styrofoam trays to compostable trays, we’re going to have less trash, and we are showing the students that we’re taking initiative, and hopefully that will guide them in the future to take sustainable initiatives.”
In addition to the Eco Warrior Grant program, TDS Eco Academy launched the Green Leaders Network, a collaborative platform connecting educators and advocates advancing environmental education throughout the region.
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