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NYS SOLID WASTE CHARACTERIZATION GRANT

This research project is sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). 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.

Research Group Photo

Background and Objectives:

This research project is sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and is being led by the Department of Technology and Society at Stony Brook University.

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. 


Research Leaders

Project Director (Principal Investigator):

David Tonjes

Dr. David Tonjes

Associate Project Director (Principal Investigator):

Elizabeth Hewitt

Dr. Elizabeth L. Hewitt, LEED AP BD+C

Co-Principal Director Principal Investigator:

Gang He

Professor Gang He 

 


Graduate and PhD Student Researchers

 

Task 1: Characterizing NYS Solid Waste

Students engage in the field work of sampling solid waste at recycling facilities and disposal locations throughout New York. Additionally, students conduct data entry, sampling event preparation and decommissioning ,and analysis work.

Andersson Lora

Andersson Lora

Graduate Student

Sameena Manzur

Sameena Manzur

Graduate Student

Justin Lee

Justin Lee

Graduate Student

Firmansyah Manda

Firmansyah Manda

PhD Student

Yiyi Wang

Yiyi Wang

PhD Student

John O'Halloran

John O'Halloran

Graduate Student

 

Sayidana Brannan-Douglas

Sayidana Brannan-Douglas

Graduate Student

Project Videographer and Website Designer

 

 

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. 

Nick Alberto

Nick Alberto

Graduate Student

Sandra Torres Vega

Sandra Torres Vega

Graduate Student

 

Task 3: Causes of Single Stream Market Failure

Students are Survey historical and existing recycling facility designs and equipment to determine what can be input into recycling processes and the expected quality of the outputs. Students travel to see existing facilities and interview Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) designers. Students interview the principals involved in the redesign of the Town of Brookhaven MRF to a single stream facilityl. Students analyze the capabilities of the facility machinery and the quality standards the machinery was expected to achieve, as well as track and analyze recycling markets over the past 30 years.

Bhawana Zende

Bhawana Zende

Graduate Student

Abulajiang Atila

Abulajiang Atila

Graduate Student


Field Work Training

In order for Task 1 Student Researchers to prepare for engaging in the field work of sampling solid waste at recycling facilities and disposal locations throughout New York, they went through a training session with Omkar Aphale from Cascadia Environmental and a former Department of  Technology and Society student.