Acetone Recycling: A Case Study in the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory

Herein is described results from the first three months of piloting a solvent recycling scheme in the undergraduate teaching laboratory. Chemistry teaching laboratories use large volumes of acetone which are predominantly disposed of by incineration as non-halogenated waste. At UCL Chemistry we have begun recycling acetone wate generated by students and researchers. Not only does this have a large impact on reducing costs and emissions, it can also be embedded into teaching to educate students on the science behind, and impact of, sustainability initiatives. We have carried out a preliminary life cycle analysis based on our data for a three-month period of recycling acetone in the teaching laboratory, which demonstrates the carbon-saving and cost-saving benefits of the scheme.