Sustainability tips and resources

Here are some tips on how you can help promote sustainability in the department:

Dispose of waste correctly

  • Recycling as much waste as possible and reducing the amount of waste that goes for energy-consuming incineration is a crucial step towards sustainability.
  • It is also essential to follow the correct routes for disposing of waste.

Save energy usage

  • A significant portion of the energy consumed in the lab is due to the use of equipment, computers, and lights. To help reduce energy usage, switch off all lab equipment, computers, and lights when you are finished using them.
  • You can find stickers in the lab core budget stock cupboards on Burlington Danes 4th and 5th floors to place on all lab equipment to remind everyone to switch them off.
  • Be extra vigilant about extremely high energy-consuming equipment, such as Biosafety cabinets.

Close the sash window on chemical fume hoods

Each fume hood can use as much energy as 3.5 households per day. To reduce energy consumption, it is important to always close the sash window on chemical fume hoods after use and keep it as low as possible when in use. For more information, please visit Be Good in the Hood.

Use sustainable options for lab consumables

  • Encourage your lab to use more sustainable options for lab consumables, such as refillable tip boxes and washable glassware when possible.
  • Consult the ACT (Environmental Impact Label) database to choose consumables with the lowest environmental impact factor.

Increase ultra-low temperature freezers by 10°C

  • Ultra-low temperature freezers are essential in the lab, but they consume a lot of energy. By increasing your lab’s ultra-low temperature freezers by 10°C from -80°C to -70°C, you can reduce their energy consumption by 30-40%. For more information, please visit My Geenlab Energy.

Regularly maintain and clean filters in refrigerators and -20°C freezers

  • Regular maintenance, defrosting, and cleaning of filters in refrigerators and -20°C freezers are important steps to reduce energy consumption. It is also essential to clear out old and unused items to prevent overfilling.

Share equipment, reagents, and consumables

  • Sharing equipment, reagents, and consumables with other labs is an excellent way to prevent waste. Make sure to check the communal reagents shelves (4th floor Burlington Danes in front of the fume hoods) before buying any new reagents you need.
  • View the inventory spreadsheet of the communal reagents.

Clearly label and track all samples stored in the lab

  • It is essential to label and track all samples stored in the lab so that other members of your group can manage them after your departure. Please make use of the sample management form to ensure samples are cleared or tracked before you leave your lab.

If you have any ideas or changes you would like to see implemented in the department to improve our sustainability, we want to hear from you.

 Useful resources