Pollution Prevention / Waste Minimization Program

Surplus Chemical Program


Chemicals Available

Environmental Health & Safety maintains an inventory of surplus chemicals that are available to the Stanford Research Community, free of charge. The Surplus Chemical Program is an integral part of the University's waste minimization program. It gives researchers a direct means of improving the environment by reducing the volume of chemicals being purchased and disposed of as waste. The result is both cost saving and environmentally beneficial.

Laboratories that have chemicals they no longer want or need may donate them to EH&S. The chemicals must be in their original containers, unopened, and with original labels still intact. Researchers should select only those materials that have a high likelihood of being usable elsewhere. Please remember that this is not a way to dispose of hazardous waste, but rather a way to participate in the campuses' waste minimization efforts.

To donate chemicals, click Here.

Instructions for Obtaining Free Chemicals

To access the EH&S Surplus Inventory, click Here

The inventory will be displayed on the left side of the form in alphabetical order.

If you are interested in obtaining specific chemicals from the inventory:

1) Contact Chris Craig at Environmental Health & Safety via e-mail (ccraig@stanford.edu) and provide the following information:

2) The items (if available) will be delivered to your lab within one week or less.

3) Upon receipt, add the items to your laboratory inventory.

4) Every effort has been made to insure that items found in the Surplus Reagent Inventory are of good quality. If a given item is not acceptable to you, please contact Chris and the item will be picked up.

Instructions for Donating Chemicals

If you are interested in donating chemicals to the program:

1) Determine which materials you would like to donate:

a. Acceptable materials include opened or unopened chemicals in original manufacturer's container with original label in readable condition.

b. EH&S does not accept mixtures, samples or old/degraded chemicals into the program. Please consider if you would be willing to accept the materials that you are considering donating.

2) Affix a blue surplus sticker to each container.  Do not obscure the manufacturer's label.  Surplus stickers are available through EH&S' Safety & Compliance Assistance Program or by contacting Chris Craig at 3-0654. (ccraig@stanford.edu)

3) For 5 items or less, simply e-mail a list of chemicals for donation to Chris Craig (ccraig@stanford.edu). For more than 5 items, go to http://wastepickup.stanford.edu complete and submit the form. Donations in excess of 5 items are scheduled and picked up by EPP's Chemical Waste Pickup crew. Once picked up, our crew evaluates those items labeled as "Surplus" (see 4 below) for inclusion in the Surplus Chemical Program.

4) Keep the chemicals properly segregated. For containers with surplus tags, leave each one in its normal storage location. Do not combine them in boxes or trays unless all materials are compatible (see the Stanford Compatible Storage Group Chemical Classification System).

5) The items will be picked up from your lab within two weeks.

6) Upon pickup, delete the items from your laboratory inventory.

If you have any questions, please contact Chris Craig (723-0654).

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