Waste and recycling

Consumables such as tips, tubes and plates are a challenge in terms of sustainability. In laboratories where they are used, consumables create waste with polymers & potential bio/chemical hazards, making recycling a challenge.         

Find out how to become a more sustainable lab by downloading the poster.

Bioplastics as an alternative?

Today, most bioplastics are made of feedstocks derived from plants like sugar cane, maize, potatoes, or wheat. These are 1st gen. bioplastics and seem to be a good alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Replacement of labware with bio-based alternatives would need a large area of agricultural land. That’s why the focus is on 2nd gen. bioplastics which use waste & by-products from the food industry, like used cooking oil & plant residues, to replace petroleum and serve as a feedstock for polymers. Our infographic explains how:

Protect Your Samples and the Planet

Throughout a sample's journey, bio-based consumables such as tips, tubes, and plates can be used to reduce the lab's carbon footprint and make it more sustainable. 

However, identifying greener instruments can be challenging. Pipettes and centrifuges are two of the most widely used instruments in laboratories, and all protocols require them. To ensure a more sustainable use of lab equipment, we must consider greener options to protect the planet.

Eppendorf proudly introduce the new Centrifuge 5427 R - the first centrifuge in our portfolio with a hydrocarbon-based coolant. Do you keep hearing about "hydrocarbon cooling” and now you are wondering - what are the benefits? 

The Whitepaper 88 is here to help you learn more about it! Download the Whitepaper.