Practical sustainable laboratory medicine

Abstract

Medical laboratories now face the challenge of sustainability. Many publications provide evidence of healthcare's impact on the environment and, increasingly, specific laboratory-focused examples. However, few documents guide how to plan to reduce the impact on the environment. This paper aims to provide some practical steps that a laboratory can use to reduce waste and environmental impact. The six steps are Step 1: Awareness - Look Around; Step 2: Form a green team of like-minded green champions - Think Green; Step 3: Develop a laboratory-wide action plan to reduce waste - Small Steps, Big Impacts; Step 4: Incorporate environmental management into the laboratory's operational and strategic planning - Integrate Sustainable Practices; Step 5: Seek EFLM Green and Sustainable Laboratory Certification or MyGreenLab Certification - Be Proud and Show It; and, Step 6: From Certification to Culture/ Sustaining Sustainability - Make a Difference. These laboratory initiatives have broader health care system benefits for countries. The paper also describes Green Chemistry, which refers to the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances. The concept applies across the life cycle of chemical products, including their design, manufacture, use and ultimate disposal. Adopting this approach provides a laboratory's Environmental, Social, and Governance framework.

Keywords: Culture; EFLM green certification; Environmental, social and governance; Sustainable laboratories.