By Patrick Leon
On April 24, Brooklyn College (BC) conducted a thorough Waste Audit, marking a significant advancement in campus sustainability. A collaborative effort between students, employees, and representatives of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), the waste audit intended to decrease waste, boost recycling, and increase campus-wide understanding of appropriate waste management.
At the heart of this project was a question: How does this waste audit help the BC Community?
When asked about the audit, Renna, a student volunteer, told The Vanguard, “Right now, we collected all the waste from Boylan Hall, except for bathroom waste. We’re sorting it, meaning we’re separating everything, cardboard and paper, recyclables like plastics and metals, single-use plastics, and trash, which is contaminated. We are also composting, so any food waste is going into compost bins.”
In addition to measuring the trash, the objective was to learn about the campus community’s behaviors. The team aimed to identify methods to reduce needless items and encourage improved recycling practices by classifying and monitoring the types of waste generated.
Renna added that little adjustments can have significant effects.
“During spring break, we went through the buildings and removed some trash cans. More trash cans meant more plastic bags, many of which weren’t even fully used. By reducing the number of bins and introducing communal garbage areas, we’re trying to encourage smarter waste habits.”
The audit aimed to educate and train participants as well as separate recyclables and compostable materials.
“We have instructions right on the table. As people sign in, we tell them what we’re doing,” Renna stated regarding the staff’s waste sorting training. “There’s a table for mixed waste, another for recyclables, and another for paper. Each table has pictures showing what goes where. Plus, supervisors walk around to observe and make sure it’s done correctly. We can even see the waste separation through the clear bags we use.”
In addition to Renna and other student volunteers, Stalin Espinal, the BC’s Sustainability Coordinator, oversaw the event. Espinal spent some time discussing his thoughts on the audit’s importance.
Espinal clarified that even while BC does not have dorms on campus, it produces a variety of waste, comparable to what people dispose of at home.
“We discard a significant amount of paper waste and nearly as much non-recyclable garbage. The proportion of recyclable and non-recyclable waste was about equal, according to last year’s waste audit. That is an issue since non-recyclable material contaminates the earth and damages the environment when it ends up in landfills,” Espinal stated.
Custodial employees receive training, according to Stalin, although the details may vary depending on their union contracts.
“In order to ensure that custodial staff members are aware of what constitutes recyclables under Department of Sanitation regulations, we have conducted training sessions with them. Since many individuals are unsure of what fits in which container, we are also attempting to teach kids during this event.”
Stalin underlined that the ramifications of this waste audit extend beyond the boundaries of BC.
“It’s imperative that we know how we’re disposing of our waste because it affects not just Brooklyn College, but also communities far from here,” he said. “When we don’t recycle or manage waste properly, it often ends up in landfills or incinerators located near residential neighborhoods. Those communities bear the environmental and health impacts.”
Espinal continued, discussing the end goal of the audit.
“The goal of the waste audit was to promote a waste management-conscious and accountable campus culture,” Espinal said. “Our goal is to reduce the waste we produce and to create a culture that prefers reusables over single-use plastics and waste. That culture shift is what we’re aiming for.”
The waste audit was more than just a day of trash sorting; it was a symbol of BC’s dedication to sustainability and civic duty. It gave academics, staff, and students a chance to reevaluate their consumption patterns and have a positive influence on the world at large as well as their local community.
BC is setting an example and teaching its community by taking part in initiatives like these. The campus-wide partnership between sustainability leaders, employees, and students emphasizes the teamwork required to address environmental issues one garbage can at a time.
As Renna stated, “It’s all about reducing waste, doing better, and making a difference.”
To learn more about the BC sustainability club, visit the club’s Instagram, @bcsustainabilityclub.