New York State Solid Waste Characterization Project

Project goals and objectives

This Waste Data & Analysis Center research project is led by Stony Brook University in the Department of Technology and Society, sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) through the Environmental Protection Fund.

The goal of this research project is to explore how solid waste and recycling is currently transpiring in New York state and develop recommendations for how it can be improved to achieve a more environmentally sustainable New York.

Contact us if your waste facility in New York State would be interested in our research team sorting samples from your location

highlights of the first year of the research project

Research Tasks

Students engage in research in teams on three primary tasks:

Task 1

CHARACTERIZING NYS SOLID WASTE

Students engage sampling solid waste and recyclables at waste management and recycling facilities throughout New York. Additionally, students conduct data entry, sampling event preparation and decommissioning, and analysis work.

Task 2

COSTS OF A RECYCLING PROGRAM

Students update and adjust a model on the costs basis for a waste management program to meet all requirements of NYSDEC under a State law regarding economics evaluations of solid waste programs. Research is conducted to acquire costs data from several municipalities around New York State. Students are creating a user friendly interface to allow for solid waste managers to adjust default model parameters with local data.

Task 3

CAUSES OF SINGLE STREAM MARKET FAILURE

Students review and analyze the history of recycling and recycling facility technology with a focus on the impacts of the implementation of the Chinese National Sword policy in 2017-2018.

Photos & Videos

Photos and videos are taken at the site visits as the researchers sort the solid waste and recycling into categories as well as of the project researchers at work.

Unless otherwise stated, photos and videos are taken by Sayidana Brannan-Douglas, an alumni Graduate Student Researcher in Task 1 and if they are used, credit should be given.

Task 2 students Nicholas and Sandra discuss their Financial Waste Model they designed

Field Safety Training Session led by Omkar Aphale, SBU Alumnus and current Cascadia Consulting Group Associate

Brookhaven, NY • BROOKHAVEN TOWN LANDFILL • 2019

Bookhaven Landfill

ISLIP, NY • TOWN of islip material recovery facility • 2019

Sample of single stream recycling to be sorted

Utica, NY • ONEIDA-HERKIMER COUNTY RECYCLING CENTER • 2019

Location: Oneida-Herkimer Recycling Center in Utica, NY

Walton, NY • Delaware County solid waste facility • 2019

Walton recycling site location

ISLIP, NY • TOWN of islip material recovery facility • 2020

Sorting set-up for sorting single stream recycling

ISLIP, NY • TOWN of islip Waste to energy facility • 2020

Islip Waste To Energy Facility location where student researchers sort solid waste

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