Following the successful start of production in Germany in January, Starlab is now commencing sale of the first TipOne racks with TipOne recyclate. This marks the next milestone for the company after years of development and the systematic establishment of a European recycling infrastructure: turning plastic laboratory waste back into high-quality laboratory products.
“With the start of sales, the circle not only closes – it truly begins. The new racks can be recycled again after use, allowing the circular economy wheel to spin indefinitely,' says Klaus Ambos, President and CEO of Starlab International. Over 2,000 laboratories are currently collecting and returning their TipOne components, enabling a closed loop for laboratory polypropylene. Starlab has received a lot of positive feedback from European laboratories.
The launch marks the highlight of a ten-year journey: from product development to the establishment of a European recycling infrastructure, leading to the first production of new racks made primarily (75% TipOne recyclate in the base) from the very material that the laboratories themselves have collected – a true endless cycle.
The concept is based on the exclusive use of polypropylene (PP) throughout the TipOne system, enabling direct and efficient processing into new raw material. Since 2021, laboratories in Germany, Austria, France, the UK - and in 2025, Italy too - have been collecting their TipOne plastic waste through the established recycling service.
The reduction of environmental impact the circular economy brings is already impressive: through collaboration with the REMONDIS Group, Starlab achieved significant resource savings in 2024. The recycling programme saved 38.72 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2024. This CO₂ saving corresponds to the annual carbon sequestration of ~1,575 trees. That is comparable to approximately 40% of the trees currently growing in Hyde Park in London (~4,000), one of Europe’s most renowned green spaces. Through photosynthesis, trees absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and permanently store the carbon in their wood and roots. According to the non-profit organisation ForTomorrow, a tree binds an average of 24.6 kg of CO₂ per year. Since Starlab will repeatedly reuse the recyclate in its own TipOne product, the actual savings will increase with every cycle through the closed loop.
The German government has already recognised Starlab's pioneering work. As the first company in the industry, Starlab received a Research Allowance Certification Office (Bescheinigungsstelle Forschungszulage (BSFZ)) under the Research Allowance Act (Forschungszulagengesetzes (FzulG)). This accolade highlights the importance of years of development work in sustainable laboratory waste management.
Looking ahead, Starlab plans to expand the recycling programme to more European markets and further increase the recycling rate. "Our aim is to continue leading the way towards more sustainable pipetting and systematically reduce laboratory waste across Europe," Ambos concludes.