When it comes to sustainability in the lab, we believe that a small change today will make a big impact on our tomorrow. And while we don’t have all the answers yet, we are inviting the scientific community to join us on a journey toward a healthier, cleaner, safer future on the planet.
The sustainable lab product alternatives
As a world leader in serving science, we have made a strong commitment to offering greener product alternatives that will minimise the consumption of resources and reduce waste production.
Yet, envisioning a future where laboratory solutions are environmentally sustainable requires more than commitment– it requires action.
The scientific industry was founded on a take, make, and dispose model that has proved counterproductive and inefficient in terms of resources, energy, and waste.
By enabling labs to make greener product choices, it is our aim to reduce the environmental impact of scientific research.
At Thermo Fisher Scientific we are helping labs implement sustainability practices by looking more closely at the way they operate from the top down, to identify meaningful ways that they can reduce their environmental impact.
On a broad scale, we are looking at ways that labs can reduce energy consumption, conserve water and resources, and employ better waste management processes.
On a smaller scale, we are working with labs to help them consciously understand their impact and make decisions accordingly – which may mean changing how they do things at the bench.
Embracing sustainability as a continuous journey
Going green in the lab doesn’t mean driving after a single outcome but instead embracing sustainability as a continuous journey that welcomes change– both big and small.
The greatest barrier to achieving sustainability is the way that we think about it, it’s human nature to get used to doing things a certain way. The assumption for many businesses is that changing will be too difficult or too expensive. So, the first step to achieving greener labs is changing the way labs think about sustainability as being beneficial.
By taking a fresh look at how their products are made and how they are being used, we have been looking for ways to incorporate green chemistry and green engineering principles into product design to minimise chemical hazards, increase reaction efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and minimise waste.
These changes will not only help labs become more sustainable but can also improve lab safety and reduce operational costs. But to get to that point, it’s essential for labs to initiate ‘the sustainability conversation.’
“The sustainability conversation”
We are seeing more scientists and labs starting to challenge their old ways of doing things and looking for more ways to quantify their environmental impact. They are asking us tough questions like how is this made? Where is it sourced from? How much energy does it require? How much water does it use? How is it packaged? Can it be recycled after use? These are questions we know all too well, because they are the same questions we have asked ourselves on our sustainability journey.
Look for the leaf
We want to be transparent about how our products are sourced and made. In doing so, we hope to set a precedent of sustainability for the scientific community. To make it easier for labs to make sustainable choices, we have added a green leaf symbol to all the products on our website that meet one of our sustainability criteria.
In addition to this, we at Thermo Fisher have also been working on developing sustainable solutions to some of the lab industry’s biggest pain points. One example of this is the advent of the Paper Cooler.
Packaging for a better future
Designed to offset the enormous amount of Styrofoam packaging waste generated by labs every year, our Paper Cooler is a fully recyclable, 100% paper-based container for shipping temperature-sensitive products that can maintain temperature the same way a traditional Styrofoam cooler would.
We know cold shipping represents one of our largest environmental impacts. Traditional expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam coolers are good at protecting products but are difficult to recycle, creating disposal issues for our customers.
Our 100% paper cooler is an environmentally preferable alternative to EPS coolers; it meets the thermal requirements necessary to uphold our stringent product quality standards. Though we still rely on EPS coolers to ship a portion of our cold-chain shipments, our 100% paper cooler is an important step forward in our sustainability journey.
A helping hand
No matter the stage of your lab’s sustainability journey, whether you are just beginning or making significant progress, we can help. We have a wealth of knowledge to share and a wide range of resources and products you should explore.
Contact us today to start making a positive impact on your lab’s sustainability efforts. If you would like to learn more, please visit our sustainability hub.
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