SOLID WASTE IN YOUR LUNCHName: ______

HR: ______Date:______

Are you aware of how much waste you produce during one meal? Various government and private agencies study the amount and types of food waste we produce and are continuously working to solve the problems of waste disposal. In this lab activity, you will determine how much solid waste you produce during a typical lunch. You will also predict through calculations how much solid waste your school population produces during lunch.

Materials:

  • Triple beam balance
  • Paper towels
  • Plastic sealable bags
  • Ruler
  • Gloves

Procedure

LAB PREP:

1. Collect all your lunch waste on the day of the lab or the day before if your class meets after lunch of the day of the lab. Put all of your lunch waste in a sealable plastic bag including leftover food items, wrappers, napkins, straws, unopened containers of condiments, and disposable plates, cups, cutlery. If you have any liquids remaining and the container has a re-sealable cap, replace the cap tightly and place the container into the sealable plastic bag. If any remaining liquid can not be placed into a re-sealable container, dispose of it but place the empty container into the sealable plastic bag.

2. Write your name and hour on the plastic bag and place it into the marked tub in the cafeteria. This tub will be monitored. Those having class after lunch on the day of the lab must do this on the day before the actual lab activity.

LAB REQUIREMENTS:

3. You will work in groups of three. Each lab group member should place his/her bag of waste on a paper towel at the worktable. Separate his/her waste laying on the paper towel into the following categories: paper/cardboard, plastic/Styrofoam, metal, glass, wood and food.

4. Determine the mass of the waste in grams produced for each category for each person in the group. Record the masses on the worksheet table attached.

5. Determine the average mass of solid waste per student for each category and record on the worksheet table. Finally, determine the overall total amount of solid waste produced for each student and record on the worksheet table.

ANALYSIS

1. Organizing Data. Use the equation below to determine the percentage for each waste category that makes up your total waste as an individual. Record this information on the table.

Mass (in grams) of waste category

Mass (in grams) of total waste x 100 = waste category’s % of total waste

2. Organizing Data. Use the equation above to determine the percentage for each waste category that makes up the total waste for your lab group. Divide the total waste for each category from the worksheet table by the grand total and multiply by 100. Record these values on the worksheet table.

3. Examining Data. Compare your averages for each category and the total with other groups in the class. How and why are the data different or similar? What were the variables? Write your answer here:

4. Examining Data. Which category of waste makes up the greatest percentage of the total waste? Explain your answer.

Conclusion

5. Making Predictions. How can you calculate the lunch waste produced in each category and overall by your entire school’s student body in a day? Use your equation to make this calculation.

6. Applying Conclusions. How can you use the knowledge you have acquired by doing this calculation exercise to reduce the amount of waste you produce?