Vile Vials: Efficacy and Life Cycle Assessment of the Reuse of Glass Vials in a Chemistry Lab

Abstract Single-use glassware is common in chemistry labs but presents sustainability challenges. While reusing glass vials is encouraged, little is known about the environmental and analytical effects of different cleaning methods. This study compares four approaches (single-use disposal, hand washing, acid and base bath, and machine dishwashing) to identify the best balance between environmental impact and decontamination. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on 100 glass vials across 50 reuse cycles using SimaPro and Ecoinvent datasets. Seven environmental impact categories were assessed, including global warming potential (GWP), based on IPCC 2021 GWP100 V1.03. To evaluate cleanliness, residual iron and aluminum were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and polymer contaminants by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Single-use disposal had the highest environmental burden, while hand washing also showed high GWP and water use. Acid/base baths and dishwashing reduced impacts across all categories. However, hand washing and chemical baths left inconsistent cleanliness and elevated metal residues. Machine dishwashing lowered environmental impacts by 44–88% and consistently removed contaminants, making it the most sustainable and reliable method. This work provides combined LCA, analytical and cost evaluations of vial cleaning, offering guidance to lab users for improving lab sustainability without compromising data quality.