![]() Category:
Facility Management / Safety Responsible Office:
|
Procedure Title:
Elimination of Single Use Plastics and Preference for Durable and Reusable Alternatives
- Procedure
Document Number:
5200 Effective Date: March 05, 2024 This procedure item applies to: Community Colleges State-Operated Campuses |
The State University of New York (University) shall comply with existing state procurement law and set practical and attainable requirements for SUNY campuses, and their affiliated organizations, to eliminate the use of plastic items generally recognized as being designed for single use.
Policy 5201 Elimination of Single Use Plastics and Preference for Durable and Reusable Alternatives defines various categories of single use plastics. Those definitions are also included in the appendix of this procedure.
This related Procedure 5200, identifies recommended timelines for the elimination of each category of single-use plastics on all State University campuses, with consideration for the:
This Procedure also includes a graduated schedule for eliminating various products and a methodology for assessing progress. Campuses are directed to strive to eliminate products generally recognized as being designed for single use, ahead of the designated schedules, by prioritizing durable and reusable alternatives.
It is the policy of the State University of New York (University) to set practical and attainable requirements for SUNY institutions, and their affiliated organizations, to eliminate the purchase and use of plastic items generally recognized as being designed for single use.
Policy 5200 and this related Procedure 5201 apply to state-operated campuses and community colleges of the University, and their campus-affiliated organizations, including but not limited to Auxiliary Services Corporations, and applies on campus and at any university-sponsored activity or university-affiliated activity.
The State University hospitals, medical (human and animal) and dental programs, while committed to moving to a more sustainable provision of healthcare services, are included within the scope of this procedure only insofar as proposed requirements do not detract from patient care and do not pose unreasonable economic burdens, as determined by the hospital or other healthcare entity.
As the University aspires to be the leading university system in terms of efficiency, sustainability, cost and security as it relates to single use plastics reduction, it is the University’s policy to:
In furtherance of this policy, the University has established specific requirements and timelines, identified in Section II., Requirements.
The term single use plastics encompasses a wide range of plastic materials, specific product types and typical usage for each product. Appendix 1 - Definitions defines the types of plastic and identifies categories and the usage of products in each of those categories.
When evaluating ability to eliminate single use plastics and single use products in general, campus reduction program components should be prioritized as follows:
ID |
Usage |
Elimination Goal |
By Date and Related Notes |
1 |
Grocery/takeout bags |
100% |
8/1/2024 |
2 |
Resealable, loose product, individual bags, i.e. Ziplock, plastic lined paper bags, and paper bags with cellophane windows. |
25% |
8/1/2024 |
50% |
8/1/2025 |
||
100% |
|||
3 |
Trash bags for individual offices, & classrooms |
50% |
8/1/2025 |
100% |
|||
|
Exceptions |
|
|
4 |
Laboratory and medical instruments and products wrapped in plastic to maintain sanitary state |
Exempt |
|
5 |
Trash bags (waste/garbage can liners) for labs, restroom, kitchenettes, food service, hospitals, and centralized collection areas. |
Temporarily Exempt |
|
6 |
Resealable bags, paper bags with windows, patient belonging bags, specimen bags, cadaver bags and other medical bags required for safe and sanitary healthcare services. |
Exempt |
ID |
Usage |
Elimination Goal |
By Date and related Notes |
1 |
Celebration ¿ balloon releases |
100% |
Immediately |
2 |
Celebration ¿ other than balloon releases |
50% |
8/1/2024 |
100% |
8/1/2025 |
||
3 |
Signage or wayfinding |
100% |
8/1/2025 |
|
Exceptions |
|
|
4 |
Balloons used for medical procedures |
Exempt |
|
5 |
Balloons used for scientific research procedures |
Exempt |
|
6 |
Balloons used for art installations and performances |
Exempt |
ID |
Usage |
Elimination Goal |
By Date and related Notes |
1 |
Water bottles: Individual servings and up to 5 gallons per container (Retail, dining, catering, and office purchases) |
100% |
8/1/2027 |
1a |
Water bottles: Individual servings and up to 5 gallons per container (Resident dining - pay one price dining) |
100% |
|
2 |
Non-water beverage bottles (ex: soda, juice, dairy, tea, etc.): Individual servings and up to 3-liter containers (Retail, dining, catering, and office purchases) |
100% |
8/1/2027 |
2a |
Non-water beverage bottles (ex: soda, juice, dairy, tea, etc.): Individual servings and up to 3-liter containers (Resident dining - pay one price dining) |
100% |
8/1/2025 |
|
Exceptions |
|
|
3 |
Bottled water during a water or medical emergency |
Exempt |
|
4 |
Bottles needed to ensure accessibility |
Exempt |
|
5 |
Bottles other than water and non-water beverage bottles. |
Exempt |
|
6 |
Bottles used in patient care settings where such restriction might impair patient care (e.g., individually bottles of nutritional supplements, restricted diets, etc.). |
Exempt |
ID |
Usage |
Elimination Goal |
By Date and related Notes |
1 |
Food Service containers in Dining halls (Resident dining - pay one price dining) |
50% |
8/1/2025 |
100% |
8/1/2026 |
||
2 |
Cafes, snack bars, and grab-and go |
100% |
8/1/2027 |
3 |
Fast food restaurants and branded restaurant chains, including those at athletic facilities, theaters, and other campus venues |
100% |
8/1/2027 |
|
Exceptions |
|
|
4 |
Hospitals |
Exempt |
When possible, Note 2 |
ID |
Usage |
Elimination Goal |
By Date and related Notes |
1 |
Straws for dine-in and take-out drinks |
100% |
8/1/2024 |
2 |
Stirrers for dine-in and take out |
100% |
8/1/2024 |
3 |
Plastic spill plug/ splash stick for dine-in and take out |
100% |
8/1/2024 |
|
Exceptions |
|
|
4 |
Plastic straws available upon request |
Exempt |
|
5 |
Hospitals ¿ straws, stirrers, and spill plugs/sticks when clinically indicated for patient care |
Exempt |
When possible, Note 2 |
6 |
Specialty straws (shakes, Boba tea, etc.) |
Exempt |
When possible, Note 2 |
ID |
Usage |
Elimination Goal |
By Date and related Notes |
1 |
Dine-in |
100% |
8/1/2025 |
2 |
Take-out |
100% |
8/1/2027 |
|
Exceptions |
|
|
3 |
Catering services, when reusable is not practical. When reusable is not practical, but composting facilities are available then BPI Certified is preferred. |
Exempt |
|
4 |
Hospitals |
Exempt |
When possible, Note 2 |
ID |
Usage |
Elimination Goal |
By Date and related Notes |
1 |
Food preparation and storage (internally generated as the result of campus food service operations ¿ includes 3rd party vendor operations on campus) |
100% |
8/1/2027 |
2 |
Manufacturer product packaging such as plastic wrapping of individual items such as take-out utensils, paper towel rolls, books, scientific instruments, etc. |
100% |
8/1/2027 |
3 |
Industrial wrap generated internally to manage warehouse goods, shipping materials for outgoing packages. |
25% |
8/1/2025 |
50% |
8/1/2026 |
||
75% |
8/1/2027 |
||
100% |
When possible, Note 2 |
||
|
Exceptions |
|
|
4 |
Food packaging films and wraps (received from vendors) - including but not limited to minimally processed raw ingredients, prepared foods and sauces, prepared dressings and condiments in single serve and bulk packaging, soft drink syrups for use in machines, etc. |
Exempt |
When possible, Note 2 |
5 |
Pallet wrap and shipping materials received from vendors, and for outgoing shipments when wrap is necessary for safe containment of the items being moved. |
Exempt |
|
6 |
Medical & Hygiene products which are sealed in plastic to maintain sanitary state |
Exempt |
|
7 |
Plastic wraps, films and industrial wrap used for medical, scientific, and artistic products and/or purposes |
Exempt |
Note 1: Single use plastic products are considered eliminated when operational or behavioral changes eliminate a disposable product entirely or when the single use plastic product is replaced by a reusable product, by a disposable product that does not contain plastic in any form, or by a BPI Certified compostable product that is collected and processed in an appropriate composting facility.
Note 2: When alternatives exist that allow for elimination of single use plastics in this application, or a replacement product that does not contain plastic in any form or is BPI Certified and appropriate Material Recovery Facility is available. For Beverage Bottles, final dates to be determined when bottlers have viable, affordable alternative vessel for replacement, included in pouring rights contracts. For Food Service Products and Take Out Containers, when manufacturers and franchise brands have viable, affordable alternatives. For Wraps, when manufacturers have viable affordable alternatives which are NSF International approved (previously known as National Sanitation Foundation). All efforts where possible to reduce in the interim will be made.
Note 3: Exceptions and exemptions shall be reviewed at least annually for potential availability and affordability of operational changes to eliminate plastics, recyclability of current products, or availability of BPI certified substitute products and appropriate composting facilities. This is not intended to mean every exempted product must be fully researched for all possible replacement products, but rather to mean the campus annually reviews what product categories they consider to be exempted and for each campus to note any potential improvements based on knowledge of new products that have entered the marketplace.
Note 4: Exceptions may be necessary based on contractual obligations. However, at such time as contract renewals or new contract solicitations take place, these requirements are to be built-into the new contract specifications.
Note 5 : Compostable takeaway food service products, utensils, and straws are still considered single use plastic unless collected and properly composted.
Note 6: For consistency with New York City Local Law 64 f 2021, campuses, and their contractors, subcontractors and licensees are prohibited from selling, distributing, or otherwise providing a single use plastic straw with food or beverage, except upon request. The policy applies to procurement by state-operated campuses of the University and their campus-affiliated organizations, including but not limited to Auxiliary Services Corporations. All food service establishments must maintain a sufficient supply of single-use plastic beverage straws that are not compostable and provide these, free of charge, to any person who requests one. Food service establishments with existing organics composting programs in place may provide BPI Certified compostable straws upon request only if such straws are used on premises and source separated from garbage and other recyclables to be collected for processing at a composting facility operating in accordance with 6 CRR-NY 361-3.2.
Note 7: In cases where the use of single use plastics is required to support existing equipment (i.e., soft drink syrups in dispensing machines), exceptions and exemptions should be reviewed when associated equipment are due for replacement to identify alternatives that do not require single use plastics.
Note 8: Single-use plastic items may be used in cases of emergency, such as public health emergencies or extreme supply chain disruptions. This should only be used in the short term; institutions must return to following the procedure when the emergency is lifted.
Note 9: Exempt from restriction when used to support a student in need of medical sick- tray.
ID |
Description of Single Use Plastic Items |
Quantity Purchased |
1 |
Plastic grocery/takeout bags |
|
2 |
Plastic resealable, loose product, individual bags, i.e. Ziplock, plastic lined paper bags, and paper bags with cellophane windows. |
|
3 |
Trash bags for offices |
|
4 |
Balloons |
|
5 |
Water bottles: Individual servings and up to 5 gallons per container |
|
6 |
Non-water beverage bottles (ex: soda, juice, dairy, tea, etc.): Individual servings and up to 3-liter containers |
|
7 |
Plastic cups |
|
8 |
Plastic lids |
|
9 |
Plates, bowls and other takeout containers |
|
10 |
Plastic straws |
|
11 |
Plastic stirrers/spill plugs |
|
12 |
Plastic utensils |
|
13 |
Wraps and packaging films |
|
14 |
Manufacturer product packaging such as plastic wrapping of individual items such as take-out utensils, paper towel rolls, books, scientific instruments, etc. |
There are no forms relevant to this procedure.
There are no related procedures relevant to this procedure.
There is no other information relevant to this procedure.
On November 2, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law Chapter 553 of the Laws of 2021, relating to the elimination of the use of certain single use plastic items at New York’s public university campuses. In order to implement this new legislation, and to ensure a robust effort to reduce single use plastics across the SUNY System, this resolution establishes a Task Force to encourage the elimination of single use plastics on SUNY campuses, leveraging input from stakeholders across the SUNY System. This resolution further authorizes the Chancellor or designee to adopt any policy, procedures, and/or guidance deemed necessary to implement the recommendations of the task force. These changes will allow SUNY students, faculty, and staff to take concrete daily steps to advance New York State’s efforts in protecting the vast and impressive environmental resources of the Empire State.
https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2021/A7564
SUNY Board of Trustees Resolution 2022-09, dated January 25, 2022, creates a task force to recommend a System-wide Policy encouraging the elimination of single use plastics. The task force is to include appropriate and applicable representation from, but not limited to, students, faculty, staff, and representatives of the Auxiliary Service Corporations (ASC) who manage dining services on campus. The task force shall be charged with developing an action plan, recommended timeline, and associated policies for the elimination of single-use plastics on all State University campuses and shall consider the following in developing their recommendations: the availability of affordable alternatives; the accessibility of alternatives to all students, faculty, and staff; an evaluation of the effectiveness of reusable alternatives; and benchmarks for assessing progress. The task force is to include an action plan, recommended timeline, and associated policies. The Chancellor or designee is authorized and directed to issue any policy, procedures, and/or guidance deemed necessary to implement the recommendations of the Task Force.
Task Force Established – February 18, 2022
Policy effective date – March 5, 2024
Procedure version 1 date – March 5, 2024