by hardeeville todayvisitors to coastal carolina hospital&rsquos cafeteria now have an ecofriendly food container option when they purchase meals.to reduce the use of styrofoam plates and bowls, the hospital has started using plates and bowls made of plant fibers, according to a news release. designed by be green packaging, the products are touted as being more environmentally friendly once disposed.&ldquoas part of our recycling and waste reduction efforts, we continuously look for ways to embrace environmentally friendly practices and products,&rdquo said ryan lee, associate administrator of coastal carolina hospital.lee said the hospital cafeteria is phasing out the use of the styrofoam plates and bowls completely.&ldquoin their place, we are now using the be green products, which are biodegradable&rdquo he said.according to the u.s. environmental protection agency, styrofoam products can last as long as 500 years in a landfill before decomposing.based in santa barbara, calif., be green packaging designs, manufactures and distributes what it describes as cradletocradle certified treefree, compostable packaging for the food and consumer packaging industries.two years ago, the company began manufacturing some of its products at a facility in ridgeland. their products can be turned into biological and technical nutrients upon disposal.&ldquowe are committed to considering the full life cycle of our products. our packaging utilizes renewable plant fibers such as wheat straw, recycles water waste, reduces general waste, protects the environment, and returns healthy fertile soil back to mother earth through the process of composting, what we like to call the &lsquosoiltosoil&rsquo process,&rdquo said ron blitzer, ceo and president of be green packaging.lee said the hospital also is pleased to work with local companies that promote sustainability practices, which focuses on protecting the earth&rsquos valuable resources and the environment.the hospital&rsquos cafeteria is open daily for breakfast and lunch. 
