Lab Equipment
Lab equipment is not only extremely expensive to buy, but it can also be extremely expensive and difficult to fix when broken!
Often labs will find themselves with unmaintained and broken equipment that is cheaper to replace than simply fix.
Or sometimes the new updated version of the equipment has come out and yours cannot be upgraded to offer the new features.
This creates a large amount of wasted machinery and benchtop items being put out into waste.
What we can do
By ensuring all mechanical lab equipment has a regular maintenance contracts with the company, small fixes and adaptations can be made before it becomes un-repairable.
Institutes can work with an external company and have an “equipment clinic” day. The company who can fix general lab equipment come in and the labs can take their broken items there to be given new life.
If the lab wants the new sparkly version of their equipment, they can make sure the older (still functional) piece is donated to less financially capable labs, educational departments, or even charities that send unwanted lab equipment to lower income countries.