The goal of the collaboration with the Chemistry and Life Sciences labs at Hogeschool Utrecht was to improve waste management practices within the labs. Through research, including interviews with students at various stages of their studies, discussions with teachers, and a survey, we identified three key challenges: a lack of student awareness regarding sustainability, an inconvenient lab layout that hinders proper waste separation, and the excessive use of disposable materials.
Although the HU labs were already involved in several sustainability initiatives, they faced difficulties in finding creative yet practical solutions to enhance their efforts. Our primary objective was to develop a cost-efficient, safe, and convenient approach to addressing these three challenges.
To tackle the issues, we proposed multiple solutions: interactive video materials to raise awareness, a pipette tip cleaner to recycle pipette tips (which contribute significantly to lab waste), and additional bins on lab tables to improve waste separation by redesigning the layout. After careful evaluation and testing, we decided to focus on one key aspect—enhancing the separation of contaminated and uncontaminated plastic waste—primarily due to project time constraints.
Our final prototype introduced the “Think Twice” two-layer bin, designed to encourage students to reconsider whether an item is truly uncontaminated before disposal. If contamination occurs, the top layer can be easily removed and cleaned, ensuring safety and practicality. This project contributes to more efficient waste management while maintaining student convenience and minimizing additional costs for the labs by avoiding the creation of new waste streams.
