Sustainability Recycling Programs
Recycling Programs for a Cleaner Tomorrow
From programs for recycling pipette tips to garment recycling, we have solutions developed with your sustainability goals in mind.
Fisher Scientific Recycling Solutions
Find Recycling Programs and Responsible End-of-Use Options for Your Products
Circularity is a transformative approach to sustainability, where products are designed, used, and recycled continuously, minimizing waste and conserving resources. Our guide helps you manage the end-of-use phase of your products by providing information on various plastics and materials, along with information on where and who can recycle them. We make recycling accessible by helping you locate programs and major recyclers in your area.
Our aim is to provide you with the knowledge and resources needed to help support getting your products recycled and repurposed effectively. Our take-back programs reclaim instruments and components, avoiding wasteful disposal and meeting global recycling requirements. Let us help you recycle, preventing excess waste from occupying space in your lab or landfill.
Our guidance covers the recycling of plastic labware and instruments deemed nonhazardous according to local and country-specific regulations. The listed recyclers have a broad regional presence, helping to ensure accessibility for many users. Detailed instructions and further information on recycling can be obtained from the respective recycling programs and providers. This guidance currently applies to the United States and selected European countries only.*
Together, we can close the loop and build a more sustainable future.
Key to Acronyms, Resin Identification Codes, and Common Names for Plastics Types
ABS (#7): Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
EPS (#6): Expanded polystyrene
FEP (#7): Fluorinated ethylene propylene
HDPE (#2): High-density polyethylene
LDPE (#4): Low-density polyethylene
PC (#7): Polycarbonate
PE: Polyethylene
PES: Polyether sulfone
PET/PETE (#1): Polyethylene terephthalate
PETG (#7): Polyethylene terephthalate glycol
PFA (#7): Perfluoroalkoxy
PTFE (#7): Polytetrafluoroethylene
PP (#5): Polypropylene
PPCO (#5): Polypropylene copolymer
PS (#6): Polystyrene
EPE: Expanded polyethylene
EPU: Expanded polyurethane
TPE: Thermoplastic elastomers
Labware and Supplies
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggest Recycling (Location) |
|---|---|---|
| #2 HDPE | Thermo Scientific™ Nalgene™ Graduated HDPE Plastic Beakers |
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| #5 PP / PPCO |
| |
| #6 PS | Fisherbrand™ Polystyrene Beakers with Pouring Lids |
|
| #7 PFA |
| Not commonly available |
| #7 PTFE | PTFE beaker lids | Not commonly available |
| Silicone | Silicone beaker lids | Not commonly available |
| Stainless steel | Stainless steel beakers |
|
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| Multilayer film |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific BPC Recycling (Canada, United States) |
| Silicone | Tubing | Not commonly available |
| TPE | Tubing | Not commonly available |
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| #5 PP | Eisco™ Polypropylene Petri Dishes with Covers |
|
| #6 PS | Petri dishes |
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| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| #5 PP with PES membrane | Syringe filters |
|
| #6 PS with PES membrane |
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| #7 ABS | Not commonly available | |
| #7 Acrylic | Not commonly available |
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| #1 PET |
| |
| #2 HDPE |
| |
| #4 LDPE |
| |
| #5 PP/PPCO |
| |
| #7 PC |
| |
| #7 PETG |
| |
| #7 FEP/PFA | Not commonly available | |
| #7 PTFE | Not commonly available | |
| PMP | Not commonly available | |
| Rubber | Not commonly available | |
| Silicone | Not commonly available | |
| Stainless steel |
|
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| #4 LDPE | Nalgene™ LDPE Jugs with Closure |
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| #5 PP/PPCO |
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| #7 PC | Nalgene™ Straight Sided Wide-Mouth Polycarbonate Jars with Closure |
|
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| #5 PP | Pipette tips |
|
| #5 PP | Pipette tip racks and boxes |
|
Material type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
#1 PET | Thermo Scientific™ Nalgene™ Square PET Media Bottles |
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#2 HDPE |
|
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#4 LDPE |
| |
#5 PP / PPCO |
|
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#7 PC |
| |
#7 PETG |
| |
#7 FEP/PFA | Not commonly available |
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| #5 PP/PPCO |
|
|
| #6 PS |
|
|
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| Rigid PE | Transport vials |
|
| #5 PP/PPCO |
|
|
Lab Equipment, Instruments, and Accessories
| Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed materials with copper | iBlot™ Transfer Stacks | Recyclers with E-Stewards or R2 certified |
| Mixed material electronic chips | Ion Torrent Chips | See below (Canada, European Union, United States) |
The Ion Torrent™ chip recycling program provides customers with a convenient way to recycle used Ion Torrent chips. To recover valuable metals from these chips, we’re partnering with two reputable, certified recyclers in the United States, Canada, and Europe to collect and process the chips. To recycle your Ion Torrent chips, simply mail your used chips to the location closest to you using the addresses below.
United States Gannon & Scott Gannon & Scott | European Union REUZEit BV | Canada ERS International |
Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
Mixed material reagent cartridge | Applied Biosystems™ SeqStudio™ Cartridge | Recyclers with E-Stewards or R2 certified |
Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
Chromatography and mass spectrometry without coolants, refrigerants, or gases |
| |
High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) instruments |
|
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Mass spectrometry |
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Stainless Steel Columns |
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Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
Lab equipment with coolant or refrigerants | Refrigerators and incubators |
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Lab equipment with coolant or refrigerants | Freezers |
ULT Trade Up Program (United States) (contact sales rep.) |
Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
Lab equipment without coolant, refrigerants, or gasses | Recyclers with E-Stewards or R2 certified | |
Centrifuges | Thermo Scientific™ Centrifuges |
|
Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
Lab instruments without coolant, refrigerants, or gases | Microscopes |
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Electron microscopy | Electron microscopy |
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Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
DNA sequencing systems without coolant refrigerants, or gasses |
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Sample prep |
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PCR instruments |
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Thermal cyclers |
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Safety Products
Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
Nitrile gloves | All glove brands |
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Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
Disposable laboratory safety wear |
|
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Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
|
|
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#7 Polycarbonate | Reusable safety glasses |
|
Packaging
Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
#2 HDPE | Plastic buckets and drums |
|
#3 PVC | No longer used by Thermo Fisher for packaging | Not commonly available |
#4 LDPE film |
|
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#5 PP |
|
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#6 EPS | Styrofoam coolers |
|
Cardboard corrugated |
| Readily recyclable |
Cardboard corrugated with EPU foam inside | Shippers including E327s and E90s | Not commonly available |
Fiber with metal closure | Fiber drums |
|
Paper |
| Readily recyclable |
Steel |
|
|
Wood | Pallets, crates |
|
Material Type | Product Example | Suggested Recycling |
#1 PET | Clamshell packaging |
|
#4 LDPE film |
|
|
#4 LDPE flexible pouch with viscous gel refrigerants | Gel ice packs | Not commonly available |
#6 PS | Clamshell packaging |
|
#6 EPS |
|
|
Cardboard corrugated | Packaging dividers | Readily recyclable |
EPE |
| Not commonly available
|
EPU | Rigid foam | Not commonly available |
Multilayer film | Product bags | Not commonly available
|
Paper |
| Readily recyclable |
Compliance with the European Union’s Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
Products with this symbol are required to comply with the European Union’s Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive 2012/19/EU.
Contact your sales representative to learn more about Fisher Scientific equipment and instrument trade-in, return, and recycling programs.
*Thermo Fisher Scientific and its affiliates make no assertions or guarantees as to the services/products that third-party recyclers offer or their accuracy with regard to processes, results, or outcomes. Thermo Fisher Scientific takes no legal or financial responsibility for services, products, or the statements made by third-party recyclers, either on this page or in its marketing materials. Each customer of these recyclers must make its own determinations in whether to utilize these entities for their intended purposes.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.