Editor’s note: Staff can request lab materials from the surplus program via the Surplus Request form and can contribute materials the Recycling and Surplus Pickup form.
On a shelf or in a storage room at NCI Frederick and Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, there’s an as-yet unused container of reagents or box of supplies that might be useful for a new study.
Under the Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Waste Management Surplus Program, they can be redeployed for such a purpose, given a scientific second life.
Through the program, the EHS Waste Management team redistributes non-decaled property (items without a property tag), unused chemicals, and printer toner and ink to other laboratories and administrative teams—for free. These items range from a box of unused pipette tips to fireproof storage cabinets the size of a conference table.
“We can … spread the wealth to other labs,” said Eric Mendelson, an EHS officer and the surplus program’s coordinator.
The team ensures the items get redistributed responsibly. They confirm chemical containers are intact and labeled and equipment is appropriate to transfer. Items that can’t be safely repurposed are routed to approved recycling or disposal channels.
For labs with unwanted or unneeded items, the program offers a fiscally and environmentally responsible way to free up shelf space and reduce clutter, improving lab safety in the process. Labs that are closing can also ask the team to collect and surplus some of their items.
For labs running low on resources, others’ contributions to the program make it possible to secure crucial materials at no cost.
By extension, these efforts have saved taxpayer dollars. In 2024, the Waste Management Surplus Program redistributed tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of items. The first three quarters of 2025 alone saw it save over $120,000, based on estimated replacement and disposal costs.
How to Participate
Any staff at NCI Frederick and Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research can participate, either donating items they no longer need or shopping the chemicals inventory on the Surplus Chemicals and Equipment page of the NCI Frederick staff site.
A biweekly email, sent via the “Needed-Available” LISTSERV, updates staff on available toner, ink, and non-decaled property.
Requests for materials can be submitted via the Surplus Request form. Labs that want to contribute items should use the Recycling and Surplus Pickup form, which can be accessed through the Waste Management home page.
Waste Management can also help labs review their items and materials and determine what to do with them, whether that be surplus through the program, recycling, or disposal.
Fifteen Years of Savings
The program began about 15 years ago, focused just on chemicals. Over time, the Waste Management team saw opportunities to expand their efforts, adding items such as printer toner—a high-cost, much-needed item that’s harmful to the environment when thrown in the trash.
Mendelson joined the team in 2023. Ramping up the surplus program became one of his first responsibilities. Mendelson loves managing the program, which he says takes a few hours of his time every week. His other responsibilities include disposal of lab waste and tending to chemical and industrial hygiene.
“It’s fun to see what we can get out there and help people,” he said.
Employees with questions about the EHS Waste Management Surplus Program can contact the team at fnlchemwaste@nih.gov.
Photo on main blogroll contributed by Eric Mendelson.
Samuel Lopez leads the editorial team in Scientific Publications, Graphics & Media (SPGM). He writes for newsletters; informally serves as an institutional historian; and edits scientific manuscripts, corporate documents, and sundry other written media. SPGM is the creative services department and hub for editing, illustration, graphic design, formatting, and multimedia.