{"id":4313,"date":"2025-04-04T11:17:03","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T11:17:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.initial.co.uk\/blog\/?p=4313"},"modified":"2026-01-26T06:28:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T06:28:05","slug":"laboratory-waste-sustainability-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.initial.co.uk\/blog\/laboratory-waste-sustainability-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Can laboratory waste be sustainable?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Going green is important to many laboratories<\/a>, but making waste workflows environmentally friendly may not be simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laboratories in university and medical environments have been described as \u201cthe last frontier\u201d<\/a> for environmental attitudes, and many may assume that laboratory waste can\u2019t be sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This first edition of Initial Medical Myth Busters is here to say that\u2019s not the case \u2013 where there is challenge, there is opportunity; it simply takes an understanding of current guidance and a commitment to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laboratory waste workflows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Laboratories produce a lot of waste. In fact, labs are estimated to produce<\/a> up to 2% of all global plastic waste. This includes items such as disposable pipette tips, test tubes, petri dishes and plastic packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Large quantities of material are also contaminated with chemicals, pharmaceuticals or infectious sources<\/a>. These can present a risk to lab technicians, the public and the wider environment, so they need to be handled appropriately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to recognise when an item can be recycled or disposed of in another green manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When can a laboratory recycle waste?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UK laboratories can look to Health Technical Memorandum 07-01 (HTM 07-01) for expert guidance. They can also find support from specialist waste management services that can help to put their green aspirations into action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HTM 07-01<\/a> sets out the targets laboratories should be aiming for with greener waste. For example, the EU Circular Economy Action Plan is referenced, with plastic packaging waste (just one element) aiming to be recycled 55% of the time by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also encourages laboratories to purchase recyclable materials where possible. These can then be recycled<\/a> in generic white or clear bags, but only when they do not present any hazards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some laboratory waste items may appear to be unrecyclable. For example, if they are contaminated with pharmaceuticals, anatomical or infectious material, this would be true but offensive waste, on the other hand, can be better managed for a greener outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is due to the Energy from Waste (EfW) process, which can be used for non-infectious items contaminated with other bodily fluids, generic cleaning rolls,non-infectious used PPE, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Energy from Waste (EfW)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An energy from waste facility is the preferred disposal option<\/a> for offensive and non-recyclable domestic waste. The energy created can include<\/a> electricity, heat and transport fuels (e.g. diesel).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are different from incinerators at disposal-only plants. It is not only a solution for waste management<\/a>, but it also provides a valuable domestic energy source, contributes to renewable energy targets and is non-intermittent \u2013 meaning it can complement wind or solar power, which need set conditions for energy generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to send waste to EfW facilities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Laboratories should use this as their ideal opportunity to be more sustainable. To dispose of their waste this way, technicians need to do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n