A private company provides a scalable recycling solution for common laboratory plastics
The scale and rapid pace of biomedical research being conducted today is built upon single-use plastics that are critical for all aspects of research including sample collection, processing, and storage. Since the introduction of plastic centrifuge tubes, conical tubes, chemical packaging, etc. (the list seemingly goes on forever), scientists have re-directed their limited and precious time from sterilization of reusable laboratory materials to collecting more samples and performing more experiments. Indeed, many laboratory plastics do come in contact with hazardous waste and therefore, need to be disposed of properly. However, what happens to plastics that contact non-hazardous chemical solutions?
Plastics often contain a resin identification code that identifies what type of resin was used to make the product. This code can be used to facilitate the proper recycling of each plastic item. Many laboratory plastics are not conventionally recycled. This may be why centrifuge tubes and most conical tubes are not labeled with a resin identification code. This represents a technical hurdle but that does not mean that laboratory plastics are impossible to recycle.
As a research community, we toss unimaginable amounts of these plastic products into the waste bin each year – partially because there are not enough local waste diversion opportunities. A 2015 Nature correspondence from the University of Exeter estimated that research labs contribute 5.5 million tons of plastic to waste streams each year, equal to 1.7% of the total global plastic production (Urbina, Watts, & Reardon, 2015). In response to this issue, TerraCycle, named a 100 Fastest-Growing Inner City Businesses by Fortune and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential Companies, has launched their Centrifuge Tubes & Rigid Lab Plastics Zero Waste Box. Please enjoy an interview with Alex Payne, a publicist at TerraCycle, who shared the behind-the-scenes details that led to the product launch, how to properly use the box and TerraCycle’s ambitious plans for reducing laboratory waste in the future.
Interview with Alex Payne, TerraCycle Publicist
How was the idea of the Centrifuge Tubes & Rigid Lab Plastics Zero Waste Box conceptualized at TerraCycle?
This was a mix of consumer demand but also an internal idea. We had customers asking if they could recycle their clean lab plastics and we were referring them to our Plastic Packaging Box but realized that naming a box specifically for rigid plastics would be beneficial and more intuitive for customers shopping our site.
What materials are accepted in this Zero Waste Box? How did TerraCycle decide on these accepted materials vs. other laboratory plastics? Was there an orientation towards plastics that are notoriously difficult to recycle and/or wasteful to landfill?
The Centrifuge Tubes & Rigid Lab Plastics Zero Waste Box accepts any brand and type of clean and non-hazardous rigid lab plastics including centrifuge tubes, plastic bottles, trays, vials, and beakers. As with many of TerraCycle’s solutions, the Centrifuge Tubes & Rigid Lab Plastics Zero Waste Box was created to provide collectors with a convenient, turn-key answer to hard-to-recycle plastics that are otherwise not recycled throughout the United States.
Can the tubes and rigid lab plastics be refashioned into new products for research scientists?
Typically, not. We are not recycling these materials into high quality food grade feedstocks, which would be needed for new manufacturing into products for lab settings. We typically process these materials into a format suitable for compression molded applications that are more forgiving, like plastic shipping pallets, outdoor furniture, etc.
How exactly are the accepted materials recycled?
The rigid lab plastics collected through the Centrifuge Tubes & Rigid Lab Plastics Zero Waste Box are separated by resin code or material type, melted down, and turned into pellets that can be molded and extruded to produce new products.
Is TerraCycle able to offer this recycling program on an institution/campus-wide scale?
Yes.
Will this program be available as a pallet in the future?
Yes.
How does TerraCycle deal with the possible contamination of these materials at its recycling facility?
Any item or material that TerraCycle can recycle but should not be collected in the box (i.e. a nitrile glove in the Centrifuge Tubes & Rigid Lab Plastics box) is considered contamination. When this occurs, the item will be removed and recycled appropriately and TerraCycle will notify the customer and remind them to only include the accepted materials described for that box. Non-compliant items (materials that TerraCycle does not accept at all) are removed if possible and disposed of appropriately. In these instances, TerraCycle will also notify the customer.
What are TerraCycle’s long-term goals for eliminating waste in the scientific research field?
TerraCycle’s overarching goal has always been to eliminate the idea of waste and that means providing solutions across every waste-producing industry – including laboratories and research organizations that produce millions of nonhazardous lab disposables every year. While waste streams like personal protective equipment and lab gear are not visible to the general public, they are essential since they allow scientific research to be conducted safely and efficiently. TerraCycle supports the collection and recycling of these indispensable but unsung waste heroes in order to keep as much of the material out of landfills and in-use.
Urbina, M. A., Watts, A. J. R., & Reardon, E. E. (2015). Labs should cut plastic waste too. Nature, 528(7583), 479-479. doi:10.1038/528479c
