Though researchers love to buy big expensive sample fridges or other equipment when they're ending a project and need to spend anything left over in the projects funds.
Either spending is wasteful or it isn't. People don't work for free and the money is accounted for.
For example the Federal government and public universities negotiate a rate at which F&A (overhead, facilities and administrations) can be at. Then the Federal government, since they're paying for it, ask for receipts. The money is being accounted for.
Though researchers love to buy big expensive sample fridges or other equipment when they're ending a project and need to spend anything left over in the projects funds.
Is that waste to you?