ASU expands lab coat laundry program

Arizona State University provides laboratory coat laundry services to all ASU researchers on every campus. The current program can launder around 2,000 lab coats, about 50 per week, and is free for lab employees. The pilot laundered 500 lab coats since fall 2016. 

The program is more sustainable than disposable lab coats, may make labs more sustainable overall and assists researchers in keeping lab coats safe and sanitary. Environmental Health and Safety recommends faculty, staff, student workers and volunteers launder their coats at least twice a year and more often as necessary.

“This program protects researchers and keeps the research in the lab where it belongs,” according to Amanda Hoyt, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering chemical safety specialist. “Having an effective way to launder lab coats and making it free and convenient to use makes lab coats much safer.”

Most researchers have a lab coat drop-off location near their laboratory, but some locations may mail lab coats for laundering. Learn more about how to participate from the lab coat webpage.

Program development

The program began when EHS Compliance Officers identified that many labs could not find a cost-effective laundry service. Fulton Schools compliance officer Alana LaBelle presented the concept to the EHS Policy Committee in May 2016.

A team of EHS staff, departmental safety compliance officers and representatives from Mail Services and Procurement introduced the concept and recommended the program to university administrators.

Knowledge and Enterprise Development and University Business Services jointly funds this program for the first year.

Read more about the Lab Coat Laundry Service on the EHS webpage. Learn more about the Compliance Officer program.