Hazardous Waste Reduction

Thermo Fisher facilities worldwide strive to optimize manufacturing processes to reduce the volume and toxicity of hazardous waste.

Our two largest laboratory chemicals facilities have reduced hazardous waste volumes and disposal costs more than 30 percent over five years through process improvements and recycling.

Although most of our analytical and laboratory equipment is currently exempted from the European Union’s RoHS directive (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) restricting the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, Thermo Fisher has made a commitment to — where reasonably feasible — find alternatives to RoHS-banned substances.

We help our customers recycle potentially hazardous materials contained in our products as well. For example, customers purchasing battery-powered products from us can return used batteries for recycling or proper disposal.

Thermo Fisher Scientific also offers recycling for electronic products sold in European Union member countries. In some cases, this service was offered years before the passage of the EU’s Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) act.