Many bioengineering labs utilize an aseptic technique, which often requires the one-time use of plastics. Since biological waste-contaminated products cannot be recycled, other avenues are available to promote sustainability in research. The TerraCycle pipette tip box recycling program recycles Plastic #5, a plastic that cannot be recycled in a typical program, and holds about 113 empty pipette tip boxes. Within the purchase of these boxes, every box comes with a pre-paid shipping label through UPS, so this is a one-time purchase. Participating labs will receive a box and then bring the whole box of decontaminated pipette tip boxes or trays to the receiving room. As every lab does different work with varying fields of research, it is estimated that it will take 6 months to 1.5 years for a group to fill a box. Ideally, the implementation of this practice and the ease of the process will encourage the labs to continue this practice by themselves. This project will begin spreading throughout the Bioengineering department, ideally leading to a widespread campus initiative.

This proposal directly funds:
1. Pipet Tip Box Recycling Program
2. TerraCycle