VWR launches Gown Up, Give Back garment recycling service
Follows on from pipette recycling scheme in which plastic waste is turned into pellets and converted into eco-friendly products
VWR, a US provider of laboratory products, services and solutions, has launched its second recycling service.
Called Gown Up, Give Back, the service will allow VWR's US customers to recycle a variety of single-use garments purchased from the company.
Each year, millions of pounds of single-use garments end up in the landfill and VWR says its recycling solution gives customers the opportunity to give new life to their used garments. The plastic waste from these garments is recycled into resin that is used to make permanent infrastructure such as composite decking, railroad ties and drainage pipes.
Similar to VWR's pipette tip box recycling programme, the Gown Up, Give Back scheme provides a waste collection, shipment, and recycling solution for most single-use garments as long as they are free from contamination and purchased from VWR.
VWR's From the Lab Bench to the Park Bench pipette recycling scheme, launched in 2012, has helped to divert more than 230,000 pipette tip boxes, equal to 40,000lb (18,143kg) of waste, out of landfills. The plastic waste collected in the US and Canada for this programme is turned into pellets and converted into park benches and other eco-friendly products.
'VWR is excited to help support our customers' sustainability goals by reducing their landfill waste with our pipette tip box and garment recycling solutions,' said Mark McLoughlin, SVP and President, US Lab and Distribution Services.
'We will continue to do our part to reduce the environmental impact along our supply chain and look forward to partnering with our customers to grow these programmes in the future.'