The University of Michigan Lab Reuse Program is a testament to the university’s commitment to being environmentally sustainable through redistributing unused laboratory materials. This initiative aims to reduce lab waste and increase the utilization of resources. As a large research institution, lab work has a huge environmental impact on our campus and on campuses around the country. Previously known as the Chemical, Equipment, and Materials (ChEM) Reuse Program, the program allows university lab units to contribute excess chemicals, equipment, and materials, which are then given at no charge to other campus laboratory units.
Program Operations and History
Operated by the Office of Campus Sustainability (OCS), the Lab Reuse Program offers an easy system for both donors and recipients. Labs can get rid of no longer used/wanted equipment, and OCS staff then handle pickup, sorting, and listing of items in an online inventory. Researchers who need supplies can see this inventory online and place orders for items, which are delivered directly to their labs free of charge.
In June 2024, the program broadened its scope by launching the Lab Swap Shop, a physical space where researchers can visit and pick up second-hand laboratory equipment and supplies directly. The Swap Shop is in partnership with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) Sustainability and the Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) department. Located in Room 5004 of the 1100 North University Building, the shop is open every Thursday from 1-3 p.m., with an online catalog for viewing at any time. This face-to-face availability has boosted participation and convenience, continuing to grow the program.
This past February, the program hosted a Sustainable Lab Summit, and is continuing to gain traction as the University is already seeing large savings and a reduction in waste from the program.
Building Community with Lab Reuse
Sam Kocurek, an intern in OCS since August 2023, has been working closely with the Lab Reuse Program during his internship. By now, he mentions that he knows “the regulars” who use these programs, and notes that the Swap Shop draws a lot of LSA people, especially in the Chemistry and Biophysics department. The School of Public Health, Life Sciences Institute, Medical School, and UM Health utilize the Lab Reuse Program as well.
LSA Sustainability Program Assistant Jenna Steele is proud of the Swap Shop’s role in building community. During her time in the shop, she has noticed a mix of people visiting the space. Experienced lab managers and first-year faculty are among the highest user groups, but she also encounters people that are not affiliated with research labs, such as the Arts Initiative and the Museum of Natural History (UMMNH). For example, UMMNH is using materials from the Swap Shop to construct a diorama of the Cretaceous period, which you can see under construction from the walking bridge going toward Washtenaw Ave. Jenna loves the creative reuse ideas that have come out of the program, and is excited about how the Swap Shop is becoming a “community hub”.
Regardless of affiliation, both Sam and Jenna report that shoppers have a positive experience in the Swap Shop. Most people are excited that there is now a physical space to shop at instead of only an online catalog. Sam shared that many first-time visitors react with shock and awe, especially when they are surprised by how much inventory is available in the shop. Shoppers are excited to save money and support the environment while doing it!
Inventory Highlights
In June 2024 when the Swap Shop first opened, the National Sanitation Foundation had donated some large expensive equipment that researchers were thrilled to use. Jenna explains that this large equipment resulted in high weight diversion for that month, and she is excited to see how lab supplies can be rehomed and have a big impact within the U-M lab community.
Nowadays, the top two common donations the Lab Reuse Program receives are volumetric flasks and Erlenmeyer flasks. There are also many narrow-mouth glass media bottles available. Sam encourages people in need of these glassware items to acquire them from the program. There is also an abundance of surgical masks available for shoppers.
Some of the more in-demand items include Pipetmans, a pipettor known for its accuracy and precision in depositing an exact volume. Supplies of wide-mouth glass media bottles, flask weights for water baths, and N95 masks are “bought” quickly after they go on the shelves. Sam encourages the U-M community to buy latex gloves instead of nitrile gloves when possible, but nitrile gloves are also a hot commodity when they are in the Lab Reuse Program’s inventory.
Sustainability Impact and Achievements
The Lab Reuse Program assists the university in meeting its sustainability goals. For the 2024 fiscal year alone, the program has diverted 10,500 pounds of material from the landfill and saved researchers in procurement costs of over $590,000. The opening of the Lab Swap Shop provided even more momentum to these efforts; when it opened, over 100 members of the university community visited, collectively saving $200,879 in equipment costs and diverting 1,234 pounds of material from landfills.
When reflecting on the success of the program, Sam shared that the 2025 fiscal year has already surpassed the 2024 fiscal year lab equipment diversion rates. With three more months remaining for the fiscal year, he is looking forward to seeing how much more the program will continue to accomplish. For more analysis about the Swap Shop metrics, read this presentation by LSA Sustainability.
Collaboration and Reflection
The Lab Reuse Program and Swap Shop have grown tremendously, and built new opportunities for the campus community. The Lab Reuse program has had impacts in meeting other U-M goals, such as Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions tied to U-M), energy savings, water savings, waste reduction, and sustainability engagement.
Sam says, “The Swap Shop’s a hub for sustainability and more”. He aims for the Swap Shop to be about lab sustainability and more. He wants U-M community members to feel comfortable to stop by and ask their sustainability questions, so it’s an in-person opportunity for learning.
Jenna shares, “The Lab Reuse program is a really interesting way of thinking about circular economy in labs. Labs are one of the highest Scope 3 impact spaces, so it’s important to consider how we can make them more sustainable”. This program has helped Jenna reconsider what else could be recirculated and kept in the U-M ecosystem before it goes into Property Disposition.
The physical space for the Swap Shop has made a big difference in the Lab Reuse program. Jenna believes that having the opportunity for people to shop in-person where they can see, touch, and explore the inventory is really valuable. She encourages everyone to give the Swap Shop a try to see if they like it, since they can make a big impact with their individual actions.
Future Directions
In the future, the Lab Reuse Program aims to grow even more by engaging more laboratories on the Ann Arbor campus, further reducing waste, and promoting a culture of sustainability among the research community. Jenna and Sam are proud of the success of the program, and they hope it continues to grow bigger and become more accessible.
This sustainable and cost-saving opportunity is open to anyone in the Ann Arbor campus, so please take a look through the online inventory or browse through the Swap Shop. If you are interested in picking up lab supplies, stop by the upcoming Lab Swap events on April 30, May 6, and May 13. You can also attend the regular Swap Shop hours on Thursdays from 1-3 pm in the North University Building.
For more information or to become a member of the Lab Reuse Program, visit the Office of Campus Sustainability’s website. You can also learn more about other sustainable lab programs for the 2024 fiscal year via this StoryMap Sam created.
Kaylynn is a PBA intern and a PitE Peer Advisor. Aboli works as a Sustainability Programs Coordinator in the Graham Sustainability Institute.