Dear Colleagues,
I want to extend my sincere thanks for your fast and careful work last month to complete a comprehensive chemical inventory of the Lab. Of the 70,000 items inventoried, we identified approximately 3,500 items for disposal. Among them were two vials of chemicals that, due to their ages, were a safety concern.
I am grateful that we were able to remove and dispose of these items safely, and that our Labs and storage spaces are safer today. Your time and focus on this effort helped to ensure that each of us returns home safely every day and that we are managing our areas as responsible stewards of the Laboratory.
The inventory also provided us a foundation for responsibly managing and controlling chemicals going forward, but we still have work to do. A working group representing both our scientific and operations divisions is reviewing the Lab’s management of chemicals throughout their life cycles. It is headed by David Prendergast, Interim Division Director, Molecular Foundry, and I would like to thank David for taking on this challenging task. Some of the topics under review include:
- Reviewing the decision-making process in ordering chemicals
- Informing researchers about the life cycle costs of chemicals
- Including the cost of waste disposal for unused chemicals in work plans
- Ordering and storing only the chemicals we need to do our work
- Tracking and disposing of unneeded and unused chemicals
We’ll share the results of this group’s work as soon as possible.
Horst D. Simon
Deputy Laboratory Director for Research
Chief Research Officer
Caution: Commenting on the State’s EPIC Program
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is conducting proceedings to reauthorize the State of California’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program. UC and Berkeley Lab do not intend to become a party to these proceedings. Lab employees should not submit comments on their own in the proceedings, as this could trigger party status and potentially subject UC, the Lab, and its employees to communication restrictions, which could impact the Lab’s and University’s ability to participate in certain research programs. If you have questions regarding commenting or interactions with CPUC staff, commissioners, or other personnel, please contact Todd Pray (SPO) or Michelle Wong (Legal).
Contact: Michelle Wong or Todd Pray
Promoting Your Research
Want to know how your science can reach a broader audience, or you’re not sure what to do when a reporter calls? Strategic Communications is here to help. Please read the FAQs on how and when to contact us to help get the word out. LDAP is required to reach the FAQs.
Contact: Strategic Communications Link: Communications FAQs
IPO Supports Innovations
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) works with you to bring your science to the world through IP channels. IPO is the starting point for reporting new Berkeley Lab technology, software, and requesting non-disclosure agreements and material transfer agreements with contacts outside the Lab.
Contact: Russell Carrington Link: Intellectual Property Office