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Waste
The piling up of waste - immutable fact of life, or an opportunity for change?
The disposal of packaging material, as well as products and related waste has thus far not been the focus of discussion. Companies wanted to show their shiny new products, and customers wanted to see the shiny new products. However, sustainability also includes the fate of used equipment, such as worn-out centrifuges or broken PCR cyclers, and it must address the question of what to do about used plastic-ware.
Even robust and well-designed products will reach the end of their lifetime. Depending on the type of product, as well as the frequency and style of their usage, this time frame will differ. This is also true for Eppendorf products.
The disposal of packaging material, as well as products and related waste has thus far not been the focus of discussion. Companies wanted to show their shiny new products, and customers wanted to see the shiny new products. However, sustainability also includes the fate of used equipment, such as worn-out centrifuges or broken PCR cyclers, and it must address the question of what to do about used plastic-ware.
Even robust and well-designed products will reach the end of their lifetime. Depending on the type of product, as well as the frequency and style of their usage, this time frame will differ. This is also true for Eppendorf products.
Our R&D teams spend a lot of time on theoretical calculations of the lifetimes of the different parts of a new device. These calculated lifetimes typically exceed normal use in the lab by multiple times: Artificial aging-tests using automatic systems test, such as hinges or other mechanical parts, a few thousand or even ten thousand times.
Much of our equipment is still in use after 8-10 years. But there comes a time when the device is worn out, or when it will consume far more energy than a new model. The lifetime of single-use plastic tubes and tips is mostly extremely short compared to the lifetime of a pipette, a centrifuge, or even a freezer. These consumables may end up as waste within seconds.This means that all packaging material, consumables, and lab instruments will eventually end up as waste at some time point. But is it really waste? As in other areas, disposals from the lab may also serve as a resource for new products – resources that may be recyclable.
Much of our equipment is still in use after 8-10 years. But there comes a time when the device is worn out, or when it will consume far more energy than a new model. The lifetime of single-use plastic tubes and tips is mostly extremely short compared to the lifetime of a pipette, a centrifuge, or even a freezer. These consumables may end up as waste within seconds.This means that all packaging material, consumables, and lab instruments will eventually end up as waste at some time point. But is it really waste? As in other areas, disposals from the lab may also serve as a resource for new products – resources that may be recyclable.
Waste collection in Eppendorf HQ
Recycling lab waste
Packaging material
Disposal of electronic devices
Waste collection in Eppendorf HQ
Corporate waste is not limited to the production process of products and related packaging. Companies like Eppendorf are similar to private households: The employees spend many hours a day at the company and produce normal consumer waste. This can be paper waste, packaging of snacks, empty bottles of water or juice, organic trash from fruits and vegetables.Research work quite often results in a high amount of waste as research is based on experiments and tries and re-tries where new protypes of parts or products need to be built. Although more and more develomental work is done in silico, this kind of work results in real waste.All these different types of waste need to be checked for potential recycling. Material specific collection containers provide pre-sorted ressources to the recycling companies. For more than 15 years, used printing paper is collected in dedicated boxes and picked up for recycling. Most office spaces have dedicated collection bins at the desks.
Recycling lab waste
The use of disposable plastic products in biomedical research laboratories is essential. As these disposables are used for working with biological, chemical, or radioactive sample material, the resulting plastic waste is contaminated, i.e., potentially harmful to human health and the environment. In many countries, this type of laboratory waste has to be collected separately from other waste in the laboratory. In many laboratories, this waste is also double-bagged due to safety conditions. Biohazard waste is then decontaminated via suitable methods such as autoclaving at 121 °C for 20 min prior to final disposal. This process minimizes the transportation risk. Due to safety rules, the plastic-based laboratory waste with direct sample contact is typically sent for thermal utilization. As many incinerators generate heat for the purpose of heating buildings by district heating or generate electricity via hot air-driven turbines, the carbon energy of the laboratory plastic is still utilized.
Recycling of single-use consumables
Based on our experience in drug stores, where nowadays most of the plastic shampoo or lotion bottles are made of varying amounts of recycled material and can be recycled again, you may expect the same option for the tips and tubes used on the laboratory bench. As long as plastic consumables used in the lab are sorted based on their type of material, this recycling process would technically be possible. Most of the laboratory consumables are made of PP, which can easily be recycled.
However, there are caveats: As already stated, the biggest hurdle is due to the strict safety rules in many countries which specify that contaminated lab waste such as lab consumables must be incinerated.
Recycling of single-use consumables
Based on our experience in drug stores, where nowadays most of the plastic shampoo or lotion bottles are made of varying amounts of recycled material and can be recycled again, you may expect the same option for the tips and tubes used on the laboratory bench. As long as plastic consumables used in the lab are sorted based on their type of material, this recycling process would technically be possible. Most of the laboratory consumables are made of PP, which can easily be recycled.
However, there are caveats: As already stated, the biggest hurdle is due to the strict safety rules in many countries which specify that contaminated lab waste such as lab consumables must be incinerated.
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Such legal frameworks are key; however, the recycling process of lab consumables itself would be challenging as well. As stated, accurately sorted plastic material can be recycled. Whoever worked in the lab and generated the waste is aware of the waste bag content – besides standard items made from PP, there are polycarbonate-based cell culture bottles, polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-based cell media bottles, high-density (HD)-PE bottle caps, LD-PE foil, and nitrile gloves.
There will be some solution down the road but it will take some time until our used laboratory consumables are collected for recycling purposes.
The packaging of Eppendorf products enables the safe arrival of the product in your lab. Your investment in new equipment is a financial as well as a resource investment. Both aspects require safe transportation of the product all the way to your bench.
In the case of packaging, we at Eppendorf strive to reduce the volume of waste. Wherever possible, we avoid unnecessary material use in packaging by reducing packaging size or material thickness. We also continuously review those areas in which alternative, more sustainable packaging materials are an option.
If you decide to dispose of the packaging, please follow some guidelines. Distinctions are made between the following types of packaging:
Product packagingProduct packaging is the set of materials surrounding the product in the phase between the final production step and use in the laboratory by the customer. When designing product packaging, legal requirements as well as quality requirements must be taken into account. Depending on the product, aspects such as, for example, functionality, stability, or sterility must be considered. For worldwide shipment, the product should arrive on the customer's premises free of damage. Where possible, we continue to optimize and minimize the packaging material while keeping the product safe.
Depending on the product type and weight, cardboard packaging composed of different material thicknesses is used. Cardboard packaging contains an increasing proportion of recycled paper material. This varies for the different Eppendorf products from, for example, 70 % for the freezers to almost 100 % for the Research plus pipette. For some types of cardboard packaging, fresh (wood-based) fibers are needed to reinforce the recycling-cardboard material.
In the case of packaging, we at Eppendorf strive to reduce the volume of waste. Wherever possible, we avoid unnecessary material use in packaging by reducing packaging size or material thickness. We also continuously review those areas in which alternative, more sustainable packaging materials are an option.
If you decide to dispose of the packaging, please follow some guidelines. Distinctions are made between the following types of packaging:
- Primary packaging
- Product packaging
- Transport packaging
Product packagingProduct packaging is the set of materials surrounding the product in the phase between the final production step and use in the laboratory by the customer. When designing product packaging, legal requirements as well as quality requirements must be taken into account. Depending on the product, aspects such as, for example, functionality, stability, or sterility must be considered. For worldwide shipment, the product should arrive on the customer's premises free of damage. Where possible, we continue to optimize and minimize the packaging material while keeping the product safe.
Depending on the product type and weight, cardboard packaging composed of different material thicknesses is used. Cardboard packaging contains an increasing proportion of recycled paper material. This varies for the different Eppendorf products from, for example, 70 % for the freezers to almost 100 % for the Research plus pipette. For some types of cardboard packaging, fresh (wood-based) fibers are needed to reinforce the recycling-cardboard material.
Some Eppendorf product packaging is already designed to be plastic-free. By using cardboard-based holders, the product such as the Research plus® pipette, is sufficiently protected. An expansion of these plastic-free product packaging concepts is planned. But keep in mind – plastic-free is not always and automatically a more sustainable solution.
Devices are protected from dust and moisture by a thin polyethylene-based (PE) plastic wrapping. These plastic bags are mainly made of low-density PE (LD-PE). Depending on the weight of the device, padding made of foam (PE) is used. More and more foam packaging parts are based on recycled PE fractions (e.g., up to 30% for some centrifuges). Polystyrene (PS) is no longer used as a packaging material at Eppendorf.
Particularly heavy equipment such as freezers, shakers, and larger centrifuges are transported on special pallets made of wood. The pallets of our freezers are made of 70% recycled wood chips.
However, there are caveats: As already stated, the biggest hurdle is due to the strict safety rules in many countries which specify that contaminated lab waste such as lab consumables must be incinerated.Such legal frameworks are key; however, the recycling process of lab consumables itself would be challenging as well. As stated, accurately sorted plastic material can be recycled. Whoever worked in the lab and generated the waste is aware of the waste bag content – besides standard items made from PP, there are polycarbonate-based cell culture bottles, polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-based cell media bottles, high-density (HD)-PE bottle caps, LD-PE foil, and nitrile gloves.
There will be some solution down the road but it will take some time until our used laboratory consumables are collected for recycling purposes.
Devices are protected from dust and moisture by a thin polyethylene-based (PE) plastic wrapping. These plastic bags are mainly made of low-density PE (LD-PE). Depending on the weight of the device, padding made of foam (PE) is used. More and more foam packaging parts are based on recycled PE fractions (e.g., up to 30% for some centrifuges). Polystyrene (PS) is no longer used as a packaging material at Eppendorf.
Particularly heavy equipment such as freezers, shakers, and larger centrifuges are transported on special pallets made of wood. The pallets of our freezers are made of 70% recycled wood chips.
However, there are caveats: As already stated, the biggest hurdle is due to the strict safety rules in many countries which specify that contaminated lab waste such as lab consumables must be incinerated.Such legal frameworks are key; however, the recycling process of lab consumables itself would be challenging as well. As stated, accurately sorted plastic material can be recycled. Whoever worked in the lab and generated the waste is aware of the waste bag content – besides standard items made from PP, there are polycarbonate-based cell culture bottles, polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-based cell media bottles, high-density (HD)-PE bottle caps, LD-PE foil, and nitrile gloves.
There will be some solution down the road but it will take some time until our used laboratory consumables are collected for recycling purposes.
Disposal of electronic devices
Europe (EU)
The laboratory device like centrifuges, cyclers, or electronic pipettes (including accessories) and empty rechargeable batteries/ batteries do not belong in the household waste. They are made from high-quality materials that can be recycled and can be reused. The European Directive 2012/19/EU (WEEE) requires electrical and electronic equipment to be separated from unsorted municipal waste in order to recycle them afterwards. The symbol with the crossed-out waste container indicates the need for separate collection.
In Germany and some other European countries, Eppendorf SE or its subsidiaries take back and dispose their electrical and electronic products themselves. These products must not be disposed in household waste or at the collection points of local public waste management services. Please take care of documented, thorough decontamination before the device is sent back. Please contact our service staff on site or our service team.
Outside Europe (EU)
Our instruments last for many years, but if they need to be replaced, we kindly ask that you meet local requirements for their disposal. We strongly recommend a certified local recycling partner with experience in laboratory instruments. Keeping it “local“ reduces the impact of transportation, and the “certified” aspect is recommended to ensure the safe and sustainable handling of lab equipment. Especially, devices with active cooling contain cooling liquids such as R170/ R290 or, for older equipment, R408/ R508B/ R134a. Safe removal and recycling of these cooling liquids is paramount.
The laboratory device like centrifuges, cyclers, or electronic pipettes (including accessories) and empty rechargeable batteries/ batteries do not belong in the household waste. They are made from high-quality materials that can be recycled and can be reused. The European Directive 2012/19/EU (WEEE) requires electrical and electronic equipment to be separated from unsorted municipal waste in order to recycle them afterwards. The symbol with the crossed-out waste container indicates the need for separate collection.
In Germany and some other European countries, Eppendorf SE or its subsidiaries take back and dispose their electrical and electronic products themselves. These products must not be disposed in household waste or at the collection points of local public waste management services. Please take care of documented, thorough decontamination before the device is sent back. Please contact our service staff on site or our service team.
Outside Europe (EU)
Our instruments last for many years, but if they need to be replaced, we kindly ask that you meet local requirements for their disposal. We strongly recommend a certified local recycling partner with experience in laboratory instruments. Keeping it “local“ reduces the impact of transportation, and the “certified” aspect is recommended to ensure the safe and sustainable handling of lab equipment. Especially, devices with active cooling contain cooling liquids such as R170/ R290 or, for older equipment, R408/ R508B/ R134a. Safe removal and recycling of these cooling liquids is paramount.
Germany: Electrical and Electronic Equipment ActThe symbol of the crossed-out dustbin indicates that this electrical or electronic equipment may not be disposed of with household waste at the end of its service life but must be taken for separate collection by the end user. Users have the option of returning a B2B device placed on the market by us to us at the end of its service life. We will then dispose of it properly. Please contact us at elektrogesetz@eppendorf.de to arrange for the equipment to be taken back. If this is possible without destroying the old electrical or electronic equipment, please remove old batteries or rechargeable batteries as well as old lamps from it before returning it for disposal and take them to a separate collection. If the old electrical or electronic equipment contains personal data, you are responsible for deleting it yourself before returning it.
Further information on the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act can also be found on the Internet at www.elektrogesetz.de.
Further information on the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act can also be found on the Internet at www.elektrogesetz.de.