Zero Waste Labs

The Zero Waste LabsProgram focuses on reducing, reusing, composting, and recycling in order to reach our zero waste goals in a laboratory setting. Our two-fold approach focuses on waste bin standardization in laboratories and implementing a circular economy model for lab plastics. 

Standardizing laboratory bins across campus involves centralizing and locating collection bins, communicating with custodial services, and relabelling bins to increase clarity. By working with custodial teams, our program improves workload efficiency by having clearer service bins. 

The second focal point of the Zero Waste Labs Program is implementing a circular economy for lab plastics, using the help of Polycarbin recycling. Our team has placed specially labelled Polycarbin bins in over 30 labs across campus to collect and recycle non-hazardous lab plastic waste. Using the circular economy model, we strive to repurchase recycled lab plastics generated from our lab materials for reuse. Our program also works with labs to identify more sustainable and recyclable alternatives for commonly purchased lab products.

Zero Waste Lab Bin Set
Zero Waste Lab Polycarbin Recycling Bins

These programs have been successfully implemented in numerous research and instructional buildings, including Stanley Hall, Barker Hall, Latimer Hall, and Bakar Bio Labs.

Why Polycarbin and Circular Economy?

Research labs produce high amounts of waste due to the repeated use of plastic products like pipette tips, conical tubes, etc. Many of these plastics—specifically plastic types 2 (High Density Polyethylene), 5 (Polypropylene) and 6 (Polystyrene)—can be remade into new products. Polycarbin has partnered with UC Berkeley to help labs on campus successfully reduce their landfill impact by recycling non-hazardous plastic products into the next generation of lab consumables, effectively creating a circular economy.

Common items that go into Polycarbin bins:

  • Pipette tip boxes (colored/clear)

  • Chemical/solvent bottles (colored)

  • Conical tubes (clear) and caps (colored)

  • Microcentrifuge tubes (colored/clear)

  • Serological pipettes (clear)

  • Petri dishes (clear)

  • Filter units (clear)

  • Needleless syringes (clear)

  • PCR plates (colored/clear)

Environmentally Preferred Products List

Our Progress

Pounds of plastic recycled across labs in our Program.
Time PeriodPounds recycled
2024 - Q4190
2025 - Q1762
2025 - Q22,115
2025 - Q32,610

FAQ for Labs with Polycarbin

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Why do we not recycle gloves?

The materials used to make gloves are often not recyclable in a meaningful way, and so the process is considered downcycling. This means the product is recycled into another lower quality product that may not be recyclable (eg. recycling nitrile gloves into plastic pellets to make tires). This does not align with the circular economy framework used by Cal Zero Waste. There are many other companies that do gloves recycling, but labs should set that up independently.

What can go in the Polycarbin bins?

Recycling Protocol Decision Tree – Polycarbin

Permitted in Bins:

Plastic type 1 (PETE)

Items with stickers/labels still attached

BSL1

Rinse bottles that contained U-List chemicals

Prohibited Items:...

Why does our Polycarbin program not take plastics 3, 4 & 7?

Plastic type 3 is PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and is not recyclable due to the toxic chemicals that are released during its breakdown process.

Plastic type 4 is LDPE (low density polyethylene) and is often a softer plastic type, which our program is not set to recycle.

Plastic type 7 consists of all Polycarbonates and “other” plastic types, meaning there is no set standard for how they should be recycled.

Need more bins?

Submit a service request through Facilities Services: FS - Submit Service Request

Want to Join the Program?

The Zero Waste Lab program is at no cost to UC Berkeley labs. However, it is worth noting that landfill, recycling, and compost bin systems will be streamlined as a part of the program. This may involve removing old, non-standardized bins. Additionally, custodial pickup will be increased to twice per week after getting started with Polycarbin.

How to get started?

Please email ltking@berkeley.edu. Or, submit a service request through Facilities Services: FS - Submit Service Request