Single-Use Plastics Elimination at FSC
As a part of The State University of New York (SUNY) system, Farmingdale State College (FSC) is required to eliminate the use of single-use plastic items across the entire campus and any affiliated organizations. In accordance with Policy 5201: Elimination of Single Use Plastics and Preference for Durable and Reusable Alternatives, FSC has created a plastic elimination plan.
The plan identifies recommended timelines for the elimination of each category of single-use plastics on FSC’s campus, with consideration for the:
1. The availability of affordable alternatives;
2. The accessibility of alternatives to all students, faculty, and staff; and
3. The effectiveness of reusable alternatives.
The campus-wide goal is to eliminate products generally recognized as being designed
for single use, ahead of the designated schedules, by prioritizing durable and reusable alternatives.
Download a PDF of FSC's Plastic Elimination Plan.
APPLICABILITY
The plastics elimination plan applies to all campus departments, as well as related entities and affiliates. This includes, but is not limited to: Auxiliary Services Corporation (ASC), Student Government, the College Foundation, the Alumni Foundation, and any individual or group hosting college-sponsored activity or college-affiliated activity.
PROCEDURE
When evaluating ability to eliminate single use plastics and single use products in general, departments should be prioritize the following:
- Implement operational and behavioral changes to eliminate the use of disposable products wherever possible;
- When disposable products are the only choice, select disposable products that do not contain plastic and are BPI Certified compostable to replace single use plastics;
- Where plastic products are unavoidable, those made from recycled plastic are to be given preference, with higher recycled content being preferred;
- Where an alternative to single use plastics is not yet available or replacement is
not practical, exceptions to this policy are available. They include accessibility needs or emergency operations. Other exceptions to this policy will be extremely limited and are noted
in the FSC Plastic Elimination Plan.
REPORTING
Each department on campus is repsonsible for reporting the quantity of single use items purchased annually. The Office for Sustainability will send out a request for information to department heads each year.
WHAT IS A SINGLE USE ITEM?
Plastic is “a lightweight, hygienic and resistant material which can be moulded in a variety of ways and utilized in a wide range of applications. Most plastics are not capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost facility but will photodegrade and create microplastics.
Biobased materials or bioplastics are those that are produced from renewable raw materials. Biobased materials are not necessarily biodegradable or compostable.[1] Often, biobased materials are made from fiber crops such as hemp and flax, bamboo, sugarcane, etc.
Biodegradable plastics are plastic materials that will decompose through biological processes, resulting in harmless bi-products. They may be made from renewable raw materials but may also be made using crude oil or natural gas.
Fossil fuel-based plastics are the most commonly used. These items are often comprised of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), non-BPI certified polylactic acid (PLA), and paper or paperboard lined with wax or any of the listed plastics.
Photodegrade – this process occurs when plastics break down into smaller and smaller pieces due to UV irradiation, eventually becoming microplastics, which release harmful chemicals into the environment.
Resin Identification Code (RIC) is the common identification system for consumers and recyclers to identify the resin content of plastic containers commonly found in the recycling waste stream:
RIC: 1 Polyethylene terephthalate,
RIC: 2 high-density polyethylene,
RIC: 4 low-density or linear low-density polyethylene,
RIC: 5 polypropylene,
RIC: 6 polystyrene, and
RIC: 7 other plastics (polycarbonate, non-BPI certified polylactic acid [1] [2] [3]
RIC: 3 Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC has special recycling challenges and is not included
in most recycling programs.
BPI Certification is a certification by the Biodegradable Product Institute that indicates that a product meets ASTM standards for compostable products. The BPI Certification Mark indicates that an item is compostable and can be diverted to a commercial composting facility with food scraps, where programs exist.
Recyclable is able to be recycled. Although many products may be marketed as recyclable, the ability to recycle a product depends upon the availability of a recycling system for that product in combination with a secondary market for the recycled materials. Recycle Right New York (https://recyclerightny.org/) provides information on what can and cannot be recycled in each municipality.
Composting is “the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.
Sustainability
Service Building, 124
934-420-5779
sustainability@farmingdale.edu
Maia Roseval
Sustainability Manager, Committee Chair
Michael Cervini
Energy Manager
Jonathan Goldstein
Senior Director of Marketing
Marjaneh Issapour
Professor 10 Months
Zachary Licht
Senior Professional Relations Specialist
Orla Smyth-LoPiccolo
Professor 10 Months