Environmental Health Interest Group Secures Food Composting Service for Students
The composting service provides a sustainable alternative for student residents disposing of food waste.
New York Medical College (NYMC) students living on campus now have access to food composting services, thanks to efforts by the Environmental Health Interest Group. The composting service is in collaboration with Valhalla-based CompostEd, a small-scale food scrap composting demonstration and education site funded by Westchester County, which will offer a sustainable alternative for food waste disposal.
Students may bring their food waste to the light green containers labeled for composting, located between Building 13 and the Student Center. The club spent months coordinating with CompostEd and NYMC administration to make access to composting a reality. “The Environmental Health Interest Group is very excited to do our part in educating our peers on the important connection between sustainability and health,” said Anastassia Sunday, School of Medicine (SOM) Class of 2024, founder and president of the Environemental Health Interest Group.
The purpose of composting is for organic waste to decompose naturally as opposed to in a landfill, where the waste is mixed with plastics and other non-organic waste undergrounds, producing greenhouse gas such as methane, which is harmful to the environment.
All student residents are encouraged to use the compost bins following the guidelines for the type of waste acceptable. Food waste must be devoid of any plastics, rubber bands, metal or glass objects and compostable bags are prohibited as well, according to the NYMC Community Composting Guidelines. The guidelines recommend storing food waste in the freezer before disposal to help avoid odors and pests.
“We hope to continue our sustainability efforts on campus this year and welcome ideas from students about how to make NYMC a more sustainable place,” Ms. Sunday said.