Lab Equipment

Green purchasing guidance for lab equipment, including:

All laboratory equipment and supplies
Gloves
Plasticware
Microscopes

Required specifications

Purchasers must include these specifications, unless not possible:

All energy-consuming appliances and equipment shall meet the most recent Energy Star specification.
RCW 70A.230: Mercury Education and Reduction Act requires all government entities and businesses to recycle mercury-containing lamps at the end of their useful life.

Additional standards for procurement of energy or water consuming appliances and equipment

All energy-consuming appliances and equipment shall meet the most recent Energy Star specification." There are currently 1,119 lab-grade refrigerators and freezers from 36 manufacturers (e.g., Thermo Fisher Scientific, VWR) listed in EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification registry. This includes general-purpose and high-performance lab-grade refrigerators and freezers as well as ultra-low-temperature freezers available for US markets. The ENERGY STAR product directory lists over 750 lab-grade refrigerators and freezers that are both ENERGY STAR-certified AND use refrigerants have a “lower impact on global warming” (e.g., R-290).

Preferred specifications

Purchasers should include these specifications, unless not possible:

Purchasing Preference for Products that Do Not Contain Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) (DES-310-00) directs Washington state agencies (including DES when establishing Master Contracts) to give preference of at least 5% to bidders that offer products (e.g., aerosols, refrigerants, air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers, insulation and other foam-based building materials, adhesives, cleaning solvents, sterilants, fire-suppressing agents, coatings, inks, etc.) that contain either (1) no HFCs or (2) HFCs with a relatively low global warming potential (GWP) if HFC-free products are unavailable. It also directs state agencies to purchase products that have been awarded preference under this law.
RCW 70A.230: Mercury Education and Reduction Act requires DES to give priority and preference to the purchase of mercury-free equipment and supplies unless there is no economically feasible mercury-free alternative that performs a similar function. If a mercury-free product is not available, preference must be given to the product that contains the least amount of mercury necessary for the required performance.
Nonmercury-Added Purchasing Preference Policy (POL-DES-70A.230-00) reinforces RCW 70.95M: Where there are nonmercury-added products commercially available, they must be purchased to the exclusion of products that contain mercury-added compounds or components; unless there is no economically feasible nonmercury-added alternative that performs a similar function. In circumstances where a nonmercury-added product is not available, preference must be given to the purchase of products that contain the least amount of mercury added necessary for the required performance. Agencies shall apply a minimum of 5% preference to each product bid that contains the least amount of mercury-added compounds or components compared to other bidders.

Things to avoid

Purchasers should avoid these specifications whenever possible:

EO 04-01: Persistent Toxic Chemicals directs state employees to avoid purchasing products containing PBTs, stating: 1. DES shall make available for purchase and use by all state agencies equipment, supplies, and other products that do not contain persistent, toxic chemicals unless there is no feasible alternative. In circumstances where a product that does not contain persistent, toxic chemicals is not available, preference shall be given to the purchase of products that contain the least amount of persistent, toxic chemicals.
Vendors must confirm that all products offered do not contain any prohibited or unacceptable substances pursuant to RCW 70A.60.060 or WAC 173-443-040. This includes Unacceptable Substitute Refrigerants listed by the US EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP), which can be accessed at https://www.epa.gov/snap/unacceptable-substitute-refrigerants.

Laws, rules, and executive orders

These laws, rules, and executive orders must be included in the contract language:

Find these products on statewide contracts

Find products that meet Washington’s green purchasing specifications:

Contract 07215: Laboratory equipment and supplies
Contract 02119: Medical diagnostic testing
Contract 06019: Office supplies

End of life

Surplus goods that still can be used

Use surplus disposal to get rid of items you no longer need. Keep materials out of landfills and make funds for your agency.

Recycling and disposal

Hazardous waste disposal guidelines and options:

Department of Ecology: Dispose, recycle, or treat dangerous waste
Washington Recycles