Here is a list of all take-back programs we know of for you.
Please note that these will vary in price, how collection is set up and how re- or downcycling is organized.
🧴 PET Bottles (e.g., for culture media)
PAN Biotech
🔄 Accepts: Empty PET bottles from culture media and buffer solutions (must be from PAN)
🌐 Recycling Portal
🧪 Tip Racks / Pipette Tip Boxes
StarLab (TipOne Program)
🔄 Accepts: Empty TipOne® pipette tip racks (only from StarLab, cleaned and free of tips)
🌐 TipOne Recycling
Polycarbin
🔄 Accepts: Rinsed tip boxes, conical tubes, media bottles, and other rigid lab plastics
🌐 Polycarbin
Fisher Scientific / Thermo Fisher
🔄 Accepts: Fisher brand pipette tip boxes and racks (specific SKUs only)
🌐 Fisher Pipette Tip Box Recycling
VWR (via TerraCycle)
🔄 Accepts: Empty pipet tip boxes (brand-neutral, through TerraCycle’s program)
🌐 VWR TerraCycle Program
Corning (MailBack Program)
🔄 Accepts: Tip racks, pipette trays, and some rigid plastic lab packaging (must be clean and Corning brand)
🌐 Corning Recycling
📦 Packaging Materials
Millipore Sigma / Merck
Greener Cooler Program:
🔄 Accepts: ULT shippers and returnable cooler packs
🌐 Greener Cooler
Polystyrene Cooler Return:
🔄 Accepts: Polystyrene (EPS) foam coolers used for shipping temperature-sensitive products
🌐 Cooler Return
Corning (MailBack)
🔄 Accepts: Expanded polystyrene packaging and plastic inserts (must be Corning)
🌐 Corning MailBack
🧤 Nitrile Gloves
Fisher Scientific
🔄 Accepts: Fisherbrand nitrile gloves
🌐 Glove Recycling
Polycarbin
🔄 Accepts: Nitrile gloves
Kimberly-Clark (RightCycle Program)
🔄 Accepts: Clean, uncontaminated nitrile gloves and some PPE (from participating brands)
🌐 RightCycle
⚗️ Instruments
Agilent (Buyback Program)
🔄 Accepts: Used Agilent instruments for trade-in or certified pre-owned programs
🌐 Agilent Buyback
♻️ Various Lab Items
TerraCycle (Custom Programs)
🔄 Accepts: Lab-specific waste streams such as gloves, tip boxes, vials (custom programs with cost)
🌐 TerraCycle Lab Programs
🧬 Other Initiatives
LabCycle (UK)
♻️ Focus: Circular solutions for lab plastics; currently UK-based pilot projects
🌐 LabCycle
Envetec
♻️ Focus: On-site treatment for bio-contaminated lab waste to avoid incineration
🌐 Envetec