Preparing to Receive your JAX® Mice

When your JAX® mice arrive, you’re taking the next step in advancing critical research. Ensuring their well-being starts the moment the shipping container arrives at your facility. We’ve designed our containers with safety, visibility, and airflow in mind—so you can confidently unpack in a sterile environment and give your mice the best possible start. And when you're done, we make it easy to return and recycle the containers, helping you maintain both lab efficiency and environmental responsibility. Let us help you focus on what matters most: your science.

Unpacking your Order

Decontaminate Exterior Of Shipping Container

• Consult your Animal Health Department or veterinarian for locations and methods specific to your facility. The container should be decontaminated after it has been exposed to any potential source of contamination. Assume that the container has been exposed to contaminants during transport. As the shipping container moves through your facility prior to unpacking, it may again be exposed to contaminants that you do not want in your animal facility.
• Upon receipt of the shipping container, utilize a high-level decontamination agent such as SporKlenz®, Clidox®, or Virkon™ S as approved by your Animal Health and Safety departments.
• Wear proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the type of disinfectant or sporicide used. It is imperative to consult the product manufacturer and your Safety Department to ensure that proper PPE is used.
• Spray or wipe all exterior surfaces of the container except the screen with disinfectant or sporicide. The filter should only be gently wiped to avoid contact of the disinfectant with the mice.

Unpacking Within A Laminar Flow Hood Or Biosafety Cabinet (BSC)

• Disinfect the laminar flow hood or BSC prior to introducing the shipping container and between shipping containers. In some cases, you may also want to decontaminate the shipping container prior to introduction to laminar flow hood/BSC.
• Use strict aseptic technique when handling of the cages, components, shipping containers and animals (i.e. disinfect forceps, wear gloves/mask, etc.).
• Breakaway by turning the portal lids or cut red tamper evident clip if unloading by the portals.
• Rotate portals counterclockwise, if you need more leverage the 4 bars on top are designed so that forceps may be used to assist.
• If removing the lid is desired, pull both tear bands on the sides of the lid and pry up the front of the lid by hand.

Unpacking WITHOUT A Laminar Flow Hood Or Biosafety Cabinet (BSC)

• Decontaminate all surfaces where the animal cage and shipping container will be placed.
• Use strict aseptic technique in handling of the cages, components, shipping containers and animals (i.e. disinfect forceps, wear gloves/mask, etc.).
• Breakaway by turning the portal lids or cut red tamper evident clip if unloading by the portals.
• Rotate portals counterclockwise, if you need more leverage the 4 bars on top are designed so that forceps may be used to assist.
• If removing the lid is desired, pull both tear bands on the sides of the lid and pry up the front of the lid by hand.

Recycling your Shipping Container

There are a few options to extend the useful life of the containers:

• Sterilize and reuse the container for storing consumables at your facility.
• Contact the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) where your recycling is being hauled. Ask them if they are willing and able to accept the containers. Your MRF may not accept mixed materials meaning you may need to separate the metal filter covers prior to recycling, if so pliers and cut resistant gloves are to be used. All recycling should be clean prior to recycling.

Alternatively, you can ship the containers directly to our partners at Close the Loop by following the instructions below.

Recycling Instructions

1. Remove the lid by pulling off both tear bands on the lid, then prying up from the front of the lid. Wash the components in your cage wash facility and let dry.
2. Remove the address labels and as many of the other labels as possible.
3. You do not need to remove the metal filter cover. Simply nest the boxes together and stack the lids for more efficient packing.
4. Coordinate courier pick up and ship to:
• Close the Loop Plastic Recycling
  1150 State Street
  Fostoria, Ohio 44830

IMPORTANT NOTE: Shipping containers should NOT be returned to The Jackson Laboratory.
Education institutions and 501(c)(3) organizations may request a pre-paid shipping label by filling out the form and following the instructions above. Pre-paid shipping labels are limited to 5 nested boxes and 5 lids in a single package.

Request Container Recycling Label

Container Material Information:
The hard plastic body and lid of the containers are made from #5 plastic. The filters are made from #5 woven plastic. The metal filter covers are stainless steel.