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Equipment & Instrument Disposal Procedure

PBSci Facilities staff will coordinate the safe and proper disposal of lab equipment and/or instruments for all Physical and Biological Sciences departments. This is funded by the Division unless the volume of items exceeds three or more pieces of equipment and/or instruments. 


Things to note:

  • PBSci Facilities will coordinate EH&S clearance of the disposal prior to removal – this is mandatory.
  • If the equipment or instrument is in good working condition, PBSci Facilities can assist with seeking another lab or unit in the Division that may want it for their use.
  • DO NOT remove any equipment from your lab without coordination with PBSci Facilities and EH&S. It is not acceptable to place items in hallways or on the loading docks, as they may cause safety hazards to building occupants and other campus affiliates.

If you need to dispose of equipment/instruments in your lab, please follow the steps below:  

  • Complete the Disposal Request Form. **This must be completed for all equipment disposals.
  • Once you have submitted your form(s), the PBSci Work Order Desk will contact EH&S to clear the equipment and then arrange for disposal or transfer. *Please Refer to the Cleaning Guidelines section below to prepare for next steps
  • Review steps below, if the following apply:
    • Inventorial items (these items will have an affixed UCSC property tag)
      • Complete the Equipment Inventory Modification Request (EIMR) The EIMR is used to report equipment “scrapped” or “transferred” which is valued over $5000 (original purchase price). Items under $5000 do not require an EIMR for disposal, unless they have a UCSC property tag.
    • Equipment you wish to transfer: 
      • If you wish to first offer the item to the Division for another lab, please contact psbsciwodesk@ucsc.edu, or you may do your own outreach, if you have another Lab or unit that expresses interest directly or may find it useful. **Moving the item to another location still requires EH&S clearance before moving. 

Cleaning Guidelines

  • Remove any and all contents from the refrigerator/freezer or other equipment. 
  • If used for radioactive storage, contact EH&S’s Radiation Safety Officer.Clean and wipe down all interior/exterior surfaces in compliance with EH&S standards. 
  • Contact EH&S for more information.Once EH&S has cleared the equipment, they will post a notice on the equipment that has been cleared for removal and disposal/sale.
  • After EH&S has cleared equipment, remove ALL existing labels (warning, caution, chemical, radiation, hazard, etc., including UCSC Property/Inventory Sticker).

Sale/Surplus Options

  • The user has the option of selling the equipment through Campus Receiving Services – Surplus instead of disposing of it.
    • NOTE: No refrigerator, freezer, microwave, or other potential consumer items used in a laboratory may be resold to the general public.
    • Campus Receiving Services – Surplus is responsible for all aspects of sale, including pick-up, advertising, storage, and shipping of equipment.
  • Contact receiving@ucsc.edu for further information regarding equipment surplus.

Other Waste & Recycling Resources

PBSci Facilities is committed to sustainability and providing recycling and waste options for our campus community. If you have cardboard and/or styrofoam waste from your lab, you can simply collapse all boxes and de-label any styrofoam then place it neatly in the hallway outside of your lab for pick up by the Thimann Receiving team.

Please find the following links for additional information on disposal & recycling programs at UCSC:

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