Lincoln – The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services is saving $7,000 a year at the Diagnostic and Evaluation Center by replacing Syrofoam cups with plastic tumblers.

Diane Sabatka-Rine, NDCS chief of operations, said in a news release that the switch has cut waste output at the DEC by 50%.

James Jansen, DEC assistant warden, said other NDCS facilities use plastic cups at mealtime, but stor­age space wasn’t available for them at the Lincoln fa­cility.

“The tumblers are kept in each individual’s cell, thereby reducing the need to store them someplace else,” Jansen said.

Each person is responsible for cleaning their own tumbler. The first one is free. Tumblers that are lost or damaged are replaced at the cost of the owner.

“We figured out a way to reduce waste and enhance our operations all at the same time,” Jansen said. “It may not seem like much, but when you consider how many disposable cups a person would use at each meal over the course of a year, the impact is significant.”

– Nebraska Department of Correctional Services