Glassware and More at SWAP Shop

There’s a new batch of glassware up for grabs at the SWAP Shop in room S5-320 in the main Medical School building.

And the shop is a bit easier to navigate, thanks to the efforts of Worcester high school students working on campus through the Building Brighter Futures with Youth (BBFWY) program who recently re-organized and cleaned up the SWAP Shop.

“We appreciate the students' help in getting the room into shape,” said Suzanne Wood, program manager for sustainability and auxiliary services at UMass Chan.

SWAP stands for “Surplus With A Purpose." UMass Chan Medical School students, faculty and staff are encouraged to bring surplus office supplies, small furniture, or laboratory equipment to the SWAP Shop so others on campus can put the items to good use. Home goods are not accepted.

Now in its fourth year, the SWAP Shop has exchanged thousands of items that otherwise could have ended up in the trash. For a peek at some of the glassware and other items now available in the shop see:  SWAP Shop S5-320 .

The SWAP Shop accepts office and lab equipment and supplies, but no chemicals, biologicals, isotopes, or needles. Any lab equipment must be appropriately decontaminated before being transported and dropped off at the shop. Large pieces of furniture or major capital items are not accepted. Those items can still be repurposed, but should be handled through the UMass Chan Purchasing Department’s asset moving policy.

Any electronic devices, like printers or other computer peripherals that can store information need to be wiped clean of all data before being deposited at the shop.