Joe Hennager ought to know. As equipment manager for the University Surplus Stores, he moves as much as 30 tons of stuff per week.
People have a hoarding mentality.
For some people, if they have six centrifuges and don't use any of them, they feel more powerful and valuable to the department than somebody who has a nice desktop model they use all the time. Everything equates to inventory. Hennager's job is to haul, evaluate, refurbish, and sell unwanted file cabinets, lab equipment, desk chairs, drafting tables, and anything else you could think of. Surplus Stores has them. He views his primary function as diverting useful items from the landfill.