Project Clearinghouse

Physical Sciences Building Acetone Recycler

Sustainability Problem and Proposed Solution: 

Chemistry laboratories generally consume large quantities of acetone, and those at UC Santa Cruz are no exception. Using commercially available, robust, and efficient acetone recycling systems, this acetone could be efficiently recovered as relatively pure solvent from the moderately contaminated waste solutions.

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Project Categories: 
Waste & Recycling
Project Status: 
In Progress
Campus Organization: 
Carbon Fund
Affiliated Department, Unit or College: 
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project Location: 
On campus

PSB 159 Johnstone Lab


Stakeholder Contacts: 
Contact NameEmail AddressDepartment
Daniel G Droege
ddroege@ucsc.edu
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Timothy Johnstone
johnstone@ucsc.edu
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Funding Sources: 
Carbon Fund

Project Description: 

Implementation of an acetone recycler would have direct environmental, financial, and societal benefits. We estimate that 70% or more of purchased acetone used in the Physical Sciences Building (PSB) could be recycled. This represents a significant cost reduction in solvent purchasing for any lab using an acetone recycler. It has also been demonstrated that recycling acetone leads to a 70%-80% reduction in GHGs as compared to purchasing virgin solvent. Completion of this project requires purchasing and installing an acetone recycler. We plan to purchase the acetone recycler in February 2022 and for it to be installed and operational by May 2022

Metrics for Success: 

Reduction in acetone purchasing that offsets the purchase of the acetone recycler, and a continued yearly reduction in GHGs.

Next Steps: 
Purchase and installation of an acetone recycler. Monitoring amount of acetone recycled
Result Categories: 
Behavior Change
Technology
Education/Outreach
Results: 

We will keep a log in which users write the amount of used acetone put into the system and how much recycled acetone is yielded. The net amount of recycled acetone will be multiplied by the price of purchase as well as the cost of disposal. This will allow is to report an overall reduction of acetone purchasing and the resulting reduction in GHGs.