MARYSVILLE — Yes, it takes up lots of space in landfills and takes years to degrade.

But, Matt Edgerton says the worst thing about styrofoam is what happens when it comes in contact with anything warm, including food.

Basically, when heat hits anything made of sytrofoam, chemicals inside the material are released.

Having done a little web-based research, Edgerton said he especially was surprised to find out styrofoam can give off a chemical strikingly similar to the female hormone estrogen. He added that it seems logical to assume that a person’s body is supposed to control its hormone levels, not a lunch tray.

With that and other facts in mind, Edgerton decided it was past time to do away with the styrofoam trays he saw students using everyday at Marysville Middle School. A service worker at the school, Edgerton also is a union representative for the local branch of the Service Employees International Union.

Recently, the union sponsored a national contest asking members to submit proposals to improve their communities. Edgerton said union leaders were looking for SEIU membership to take on projects unrelated to the usual union issues of raises and work related problems.

Which brought Edgerton back to those styrofoam trays the school used for both school lunches and breakfasts.

“They were something I’d been thinking about for a while,” Edgerton said, adding the trays were traditionally the largest single source of waste coming from the school.

After completing the above mentioned web research and talking with building and district leaders, Edgerton submitted a proposal to the SEIU not only to eliminate the trays, but also take other steps to make his school more environmentally friendly.

First, he found his plan had been selected as one of the top 20 finalists in the union contest. Then he said he got a phone call stating he was a top three finalist. As a result, he and his wife got a free trip to Puerto Rico for an international union convention.

“We looked on it as a vacation,” Edgerton said, adding that even after landing in the top three he never expected to actually win the contest.

In case you somehow haven’t realized it by now, Edgerton did in fact bring home the top prize, which included a $20,000 grant for the school. Edgerton’s efforts also netted him a $5,000 personal prize.

Obviously, the first step in turning Marysville Middle School green will be replacing those styrofoam trays with a biodegradable variety that can be recycled at no cost to the district. Edgerton added there is about a 5 cent difference in the cost of the trays, but added building and district leadership have committed to making the switch.

According to Edgerton, the school serves about 1,000 kids both lunch and breakfast 180 days a year. Eventually, the cost of the biodegradable trays might have to be absorbed into what the school charges for its food, but Edgerton argued Marysville already charges some of the lowest school meal prices around. In any case, Edgerton’s proposal calls for switching the trays to be only the first step in a much larger effort to turn the school green.

Over the summer, Edgerton said he’s been meeting with school and district officials to find ways to make things happen. He said the entire $20,000 probably could be spent in one year, but he wants to formulate a program that is sustainable for the long run.

“It’s a work in progress,” Edgerton said. “We’re going to take the time to find out what works and what doesn’t.”

He feels the involvement of the school’s student leaders will be crucial.

“I think the really exciting stuff is going to happen when the kids get back,” Edgerton said.

With two children of his own, and probably like many who work for the district, Edgerton said he absolutely enjoys interacting with the school’s students.

“I definitely appreciate the kids,” he said.

Edgerton’s research has even changed his own eating habits.

“I don’t want to be a hypocrite,” he said. “I haven’t had take out teriyaki for quite a while.”