By Taylor Glickman

Staff Writer

Brookhaven College is holding a strong position in the sixth week of this year’s RecycleMania, a competition designed to raise awareness for recycling and waste reduction.

Brookhaven currently ranks ninth among the 20 competing two-year schools in the Per Capita category with 2.2 pounds full-time equivalent – FTE is the combined total  of full-time students and faculty.

Carrie Schweitzer, director of sustainabilty, said in an email updating the campus of the competition.

The Per Capita Classic is RecycleMania’s original and most recognized competition format, according to recyclemaniacs.org.

“We ranked 10th in the Gorilla (single stream) competition with 16,124 pounds total,” Schweitzer added in the email.

“The Gorilla Prize category recognizes schools with the highest gross tonnage of combined paper, cardboard and bottle and cans regardless of campus population,” according to the RecycleMania website,

The tournament began Feb. 7 and will end April 2, according to recyclemaniacs.org.

Brookhaven has steadily improved its ranking over the years and aims to do better this year.

RecycleMania promotes waste reduction in and around college communities. Scores are posted for participating American and Canadian colleges.

The contest is open to secondary institutions of higher learning anywhere in the world. Participation in the RecycleMania tournament is part of the Sustainable Brookhaven initiative.

Brookhaven has participated in the Per Capita Classic since 2012. Last year, the school ranked No. 218 nationally, recycling 6.4 pounds per FTE, according to brookhavencollege.edu.

The campus has also participated in the Gorilla Prize since 2013, when it placed 268th nationally and 15th in the state.

Last year, Brookhaven finished 215th nationally and 11th in the state for the Gorilla Prize by recycling 48,100 pounds of eligible materials, according to brookhavencollege.edu.