Biomedical and biological research laboratories produce substantial amounts of plastic waste, much of it disposable. Estimates indicate that each researcher may produce up to 0.95 tons of waste per year and ~1.8% of plastic waste worldwide is derived from research laboratories(1).
Sustainability measures are often adopted in our daily routine and the society is increasingly aware of the necessity to adopt measures to decrease the carbon footprint at home. Yet, how many of us adopt sustainability measures at work? Martin Farley, Director of Green Lab Associates and a pioneer in sustainability measures in biomedical research, estimates that “depending on your research area, your impact on the environment is 100 to 125 times more than at home”.
The is a Life Sciences and Health research center dedicated to biomedical and clinical research and advanced training, located at (DCM), at the . Here, researchers investigate key aspects of molecular mechanisms of several pathologies often using cellular models of experimentation in dedicated facilities. The use of cell culture and manipulation of biomedical samples requires adherence to safety and sterility standards, leading to the consumption and production of great amounts of disposable plastic materials, both contaminated and uncontaminated.
Scientists are increasingly aware of the disproportionate environmental footprint of their research and, since 2019, several green grassroots groups in research organizations are stepping up, implementing better waste-management practices, and seeking out greener energy sources(2).
As researchers and citizens, we became increasingly concerned on the substantial ecological impact of science-related activities and the carbon footprint of iBiMED. Environmental sustainability is now a priority as recognized by United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and an area of active effort at the University of Aveiro.
To this end, in 2021, we created the iBiMED GreenLab, a grassroots initiative, composed of volunteer researchers, students and technicians, with the aim of promoting sustainability practices allied to high scientific research quality in biomedical research. Our main areas of intervention are i) Lab waste & plastic: reduce, reuse, recycle research material, ii) Energy reduction and rational use, iii) Education, awareness, and community engagement. The iBiMED GreenLab integrates , the national network of GreenLab initiatives of research laboratories in Portugal, and the . Since then, with the support of iBiMED and DCM Directors, the iBiMED GreenLab has been actively promoting and implementing straightforward DIY sustainable initiatives within the iBiMED community.
Academic research facilities consume three to six times as much energy as commercial buildings, much of that due to refrigeration and ventilation systems(2). iBiMED GreenLab adopted the simple measure of increasing the temperature of 8 laboratory freezers from -30?C to -20?C, which corresponds to a saving of 2242.56kWh/year, equivalent to the energy expenditure of 10 domestic freezers. The use of -20?C is compatible with the storage conditions of valuable materials and samples that require a low-temperature environment. Our next goal is to raise awareness about the need of increasing the set temperature of ultra-low freezers from -80 to -70 °C. This adjustment aligns with the safe storage of most biological materials and consumes 37% less electricity. This is actively promoted by the , a free and fun program organized by the nonprofits My Green Lab and I2SL.
Research institutions are also outsized producers of plastic waste, an issue that has become particularly acute since 2017, when China stopped accepting several types of plastic for recycling from the United States and Europe, causing more recyclable waste to be piled into local landfills (2). In 2022, iBiMED GreenLab employed a pilot study to evaluate the amount and the type of lab waste produced during research. It was found that each researcher produced 0.34 kg of waste per day, which translates into 54.2 kg of daily waste by the entire iBiMED community, and a total of 13 tons of residues per year, with 8 tons being directed to landfills. Most of the generated waste was contaminated single-use plastic mainly from cell culture (58%) and non-contaminated single-use plastic (15%). This disposable non-contaminated laboratory plastic (e.g. empty pipette boxes, holders, bottles and gallons) is made of high quality and purity polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS), a material that loses its value when discarded to a normal recycling pipeline. Moreover, laboratory materials are categorized as biological residues, a hazardous type restricted from entering standard domestic recycling processes in the European Union, due to regulatory barriers associated with healthcare plastic waste recycling, constituting an enormous environmental burden.
To circumvent this issue, the iBiMED GreenLab started a partnership with , ) in an attempt to extract more value from this lab waste. Precious Plastic is a non-profit organization that, by providing open-source information and tools, helps a global community to recycle plastic for the creation of utility objects for social and environmental projects. Until now, iBiMED GreenLab has repurposed ~71 kg of plastic waste for PPPT projects, ensuring a second life for a portion of the non-contaminated disposable lab waste generated daily at iBiMED. This partnership has also a strong educational purpose, involving the DCM and iBiMED community in workshops hosted by PPPT within the scope of Ensino Superior DCM 2022-2023 activities. During these workshops, university students and researchers learned how to transform laboratory plastic waste into
Promoting sustainable practices in research is a shared responsibility. As such, the involvement of commercial suppliers and stakeholders in adopting green and circular procurement measures is essential. iBiMED GreenLab established reuse/return programs with various companies and social entities to promote circularity by repurposing unnecessary material and research items. These include styrofoam boxes, plastic pipette boxes, gel and rigid coolers, cardboard tubes, and paper, that largely accumulate at our institute during research project implementation.
iBiMED GreenLab small actions have already yielded impactful results, setting an example of good sustainability practices at UA. By actively participating in recycling programs and promoting circularity, iBiMED GreenLab has notably decreased the volume of plastic and other materials destined for landfills. iBiMED GreenLab measures helped to reduce energy costs and increase the lifespan of equipment such as fridges. Moreover, through ongoing awareness-raising, more colleagues are aware of the importance of integrating sustainability practices into biomedical research. However, sustainability grassroot(s) initiatives face challenges as they rely on a small number of volunteers with limited dedication, present a non-optimized internal structure, and have difficulties in measuring the real impact of their actions. They also encounter threats such as low community engagement in proposed actions and a lack of legal procedures for sustainability in research that could be overcome through increased institutional support. Indeed, we are all part of the sustainability change!
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- M. A. Urbina, A. J. R. Watts, E. E. Reardon, Labs should cut plastic waste too. Nature. 528, 479 (2015).
- J. Madhusoodanan, DIY Approaches to sustainable science. Nature. 581, 228–229 (2020).