A guide to recycling centrifuge tubes and plasticware in the laboratory

REDUCING LAB WASTE - RECYCLING CENTRIFUGE TUBES AND PLASTICWARE IN THE LABORATORY

Recently, Researchers at the University of Exeter have estimated that lab plastic waste for scientific research is estimated to be five and a half million tonnes generated globally.

While there can be a certain degree of disposability within the laboratory – from centrifuge tubes, vials, bottles, trays, and filter tips – the amount of single use plastic within labs is immense and needs some considerable focus.

The cost and convenience of disposable items far outweighs the practicalities (or impracticalities) of using reusable glass items. Whist scientists may wish to move away from using single use plastics the reality is not always so easy.

Traditionally a lot of the everyday lab plasticware was seen as non-recyclable. However, this is certainly not the case as non-hazardous plastics can be recycled if the correct protocols are followed.

HOW CAN YOU GO ABOUT RECYCLING CENTRIFUGE TUBES AND LAB PLASTICWARE?

Most laboratories already carry out some element of recycling but for many a lot of waste is still being generated. The following pointers are aimed to give you an idea of how to start looking at how to recycle your centrifuge tubes and laboratory plastic waste:

CONDUCT A WASTE AUDIT

A waste audit is quite simply identifying all of the items that are being disposed of, and whether people are discarding items incorrectly. By undertaking an audit, you will better understand the amount and types of waste that you are discarding – not only looking in the waste bins but also recycling and solvent bins will give the clearest indication of the steps you need to take. This is one of the first areas required to assess the situation. For example, are people discarding items in the general waste that should have been in the recycling bin or the other way round?

RECYCLING BINS

Ensure everyone is putting the correct things in the waste recycling bins. ‘’It’s important to ensure that when you’re recycling, you’re recycling correctly. Remember: if you’re not putting the right things in the recycling bin, they’re not getting recycled at all.’’ [i]

If the recycling is turning into an unmanageable problem, it may help to employ a 3rd party company that will assist you with your laboratory waste management. Many lab items, if uncontaminated, can be recycled but companies can get confused by scientific jargon. Using a specific 3rd party company that recycles lab products such as Centrifuge tubes and other common plasticware (plastic bottles, trays, vials and beakers) can really help you get a foothold of your waste and recycling.

RECYCLING SIGNAGE

Clear and simple signs can ensure that people are putting the right things in the right area. Sometimes it’s as simple as being untrained or sticking to old habits that causes the issue. Best practices, manuals and procedures should be clearly communicated to the right people and in the right areas.

WASTE TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES

The Crick institute, for example, is leading the way with a no waste policy by changing behaviours in running sustainability and waste workshops. It has a pledge that no waste goes to landfill. This is no easy feat and they have had to overcome some barriers:

‘’The journey of plastic lab equipment stretches far beyond its short service on the workbench. Take media bottles – the plastic containers that hold nutrients to grow cells and bacteria - it’s just glucose that goes into the bottles,” Ponce-Ortuño explains.

The liquid is non-hazardous, but in his experience, recycling companies are wary of the scientific jargon on the labelling.

“If it just said sugar, it would be fine,” he says. Instead, many companies reject the waste because they don’t understand the chemistry. But, by using contractors with the right expertise, the Crick now sends all its media bottles for recycling.’’ [ii]

David Kuntin MRSB, studying for a PhD at the Genever Lab at the University of York, also comments how he and his colleagues have reduced lab plasticware by over a tonne. [iii]

The University of York’s Department of Biology has been trialling a plastics recycling waste stream that has enabled them to save up to 1,040kg of plastic a year from going to landfill whilst also saving on costs and energy.

The University highlighted that the steps needed to reduce plastic waste include gaining support from across all departments of the organisation with a clear communication process to identifying all the types of waste and what they are made of. He suggests that one way to improve is to look at buying better - mixed materials are harder to recycle so looking at the composition of lab consumables is key. Experiments have also been planned to better focus on using less plasticware – sometimes several experiments can be run on the same plate or on smaller plates.

There may also be some resistance to change as there can be a perception that recycling can take up more time than it does, and also some “red tape”, but the key is to explain the larger problem and emphasise that now is the time for change.

EMPLOY THE THREE Rs FOR THE LAB TO REDUCE WASTE – REUSE, REDUCE, RECYCLE

Many organisations are using the three Rs strategy to reduce waste, reuse items and recycle them. This can be challenging in the lab, but with some planning and foresight it can work well.

IDENTIFY SUPPLIERS THAT USE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS

Some additional challenges arise from using products that contain more than one type of plastic or ‘mixed materials’. One way to address this is to look at any of your Suppliers that may use single use plastics, use less packaging or employ a good environmental policy.

If you have one particular product that is causing you a lot of waste, consider asking the supplier for a less wasteful option.

KINGS COLLEGE

After the report and research undertaken by the University of Exeter outlined at the start of this article, Kings College also wanted to identify the further steps it could take to reduce its own waste with emphatic results. One of the first steps was to contact the local Council to obtain a list of the plastic types that could be recycled – and this included Polypropylene (PP), which Centrifuge tubes are constructed from (providing they were uncontaminated and haven’t been used for any toxic or bio-hazardous products), meaning they can be recycled. It was also identified that paper hand towels could also be recycled as long as they were also uncontaminated and labs can go through a substantial amount of these. [iv]

WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE NOW?

· Undertake a waste audit and champion someone with some passion to take ownership of this.
· Identify the main problem areas and focus on these first.
· Speak with your local council to see the types of items that they can accept as part of their recycling program and identify which items in your laboratory fall into these classifications.
· Change behaviours from within the lab – the perception is often that recycling takes up more time than it needs to. Raising awareness of the bigger problem and ongoing training to make adhering to regulations simpler.
· Keep it simple - take a step back and look at the simplest approach you can employ, such as using manufacturers that have zero waste production facilities or companies that use minimal or environmental packaging solutions.
· Recycle responsibly and try to avoid landfill by recycling lab consumables.
· Look for processes that are simple to manage and get buy in from the team. People view recycling as time consuming, so you need to make it not seem overwhelming.
· Some plastics require non-contamination before they can be recycled, this can be a fairly simple procedure.

For more insights visit https://www.sterilab.co.uk/news