Thomas Scientific LLC, a Swedesboro-based supplier of equipment, chemicals and supply chain services to the scientific community, has announced a partnership with Trenton-based TerraCycle in which companies that purchase single-use disposable gloves from Thomas Scientific will be offered a sustainable recycling solution for the gloves after use.
Studies show that research laboratories produce 12 billion pounds of plastic waste, or the equivalent weight of 400 Brooklyn Bridges, every year. In response to this startling statistic, the two New Jersey-based firms thought this collaboration would be of benefit.
“Thomas Scientific is excited to partner with TerraCycle in providing our customers with a proven recycling solution for disposable gloves. This environmental initiative allows customers to recycle any brand of disposable nitrile, latex and vinyl gloves utilized within their operations. In assisting customers to meet their sustainability goals, Thomas is committed to expanding these services to additional consumables, including other forms of PPE and plastic laboratory products,” John Cincotta, Thomas Scientific’s senior vice president, category management and corporate marketing, said.
Recognizing that disposable gloves are integral for protection in the laboratory setting, Thomas Scientific is leading by example by offering its customers a turnkey recycling solution through the use of TerraCycle’s Disposable Gloves – Zero Waste Pallet Program.
How the TerraCycle Zero Waste Pallet program works:
- Order: Customers that purchased single-use disposable gloves can order a pallet from Thomas Scientific. The order is then shipped directly to their labs.
- Collect: Upon receipt of the Zero Waste Pallet, employees set up the collection station in a high-traffic location in the laboratory to allow for easy collection of the spent gloves.
- Ship: When the pallet is full, customers submit a Ready to Ship form to their Thomas Scientific Representative for approval before shipping to TerraCycle for recycling.
- Recycle: The single-use disposable globes are recycled through TerraCycle and diverted from the landfill.
Thomas Scientific said the implementation of the TerraCycle Zero Waste Pallet program is part of its commitment to protecting the environment to minimize its own environmental footprint and to offer a service to help its clients meet their sustainability goals as well.
