Water Conservation Actions  

1. Report Leaks Promptly 
   • A single dripping faucet can waste over 10,000 litres/year. 
   • Set up a reporting system and contact Facility Services for repairs. 
2. Use the Appropriate Water Purity 
   • Every type of water used in labs requires some form of purification, with a typical production efficiency range of 11- 75%. For instance, it takes about 3 litres of potable water to make 1 litre of deionized water. 
   • Use only the necessary purity level to reduce waste and energy use. 
   • Learn more about common types of water and their applications. 
3. Operate Equipment Efficiently 
   • Run glasswashers and autoclaves only when full. 
   • Use sign-up sheets to coordinate loads with your lab and avoid partial runs. 
4. Eliminate Single-Pass Cooling 
   • Replace with air-cooled or closed-loop process chilled water systems.  
   • Alternatives include: 
     • Findense ; for solvent volumes of 5 mL to 1L  
     • CondenSyn Waterless Air Condenser; often used in research and teaching labs 
     • DIY setups with ice buckets and aquarium pumps 
5. Install Low-Flow Aerators 
   • This is disc-shaped sieve or screen attached to the end of a faucet disrupts the flow of water by aerating the stream of water. 
     • Reduces water use by 30 - 60% without sacrificing pressure. 
     • Contact Facility Servies to request installation in your area. 
6. Choose Eco-Friendly Detergents 
   • Avoid products with phosphates, microbeads, triclosan, or other pollutants. 
7. Practice Smart Dishwashing 
   • Don’t leave faucets running. 
   • Use a basin for rinsing and use glassware washers over hand washing. 
8. Switch to Waterless Vacuum Pumps 
   • Traditional aspirators use 7 litres/minute. 
   • Replace with waterless vacuum pumps to conserve water.  

Explore the Best Practices Guide: Water Efficiency in Laboratories (PDF) from the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL). 

Energy Conservation Actions 

1. Purchase Energy-Efficient Equipment 
   • Choose ENERGY STAR® rated models. 
   • Consider lifecycle costs and available rebates. 
   • Explore university green funds to offset initial costs. 
2. Reduce Plug Load 
   • Major contributors: fume hoods, freezers, biosafety cabinets, ovens, incubators, water baths. 
   • Identify and power down non-essential equipment. 
   • Label equipment with start-up/shut-down procedures. 
   • Use outlet timers to automate power off, especially in labs with shift work or high turnover. 
   • The Plug Load Guide(PDF) created by My Green Labs offers some useful reminder labels, inventory sheets, energy calculators, and much more. 
3. Optimize Cold Storage 
   • Centralize and share freezer/refrigerator space.  
   • Appoint a cold storage coordinator. 
   • Develop a cold storage maintenance plan. 
   • Maintain units by: 
     • Defrosting regularly 
     • Cleaning coils and filters (borrow a vacuum from the CCC) 
     • Replacing cracked door seals 
     • Cleaning out expired or redundant chemicals and samples 
   • Set ULT freezers to -70°C instead of -80°C to save up to 37% energy according to a study by thee Center for Energy Efficient Laboratories.  
   • Participate in the International Laboratory Freezer Challenge to benchmark and improve practices. 
4. Improve Lighting and Equipment Choices 
   • Switch to LED lighting and mercury-free equipment for better efficiency and safety. 
5. Fume Hood Management 
   • Shut the Sash when not in use. Fume hoods can account for up to 50% of lab energy use. 
   • When working in a fume hood keep the sash as low as possible for comfortable work to protect users and conserve energy. 
   • Avoid using fume hoods for storage.  
   • Declutter to improve airflow and efficiency. 
6. Optimize Equipment Use 
   • Run autoclaves and dishwashers only when full. 
   • Coordinate loads with lab members to avoid partial runs. 
   • Review manuals to ensure biosafety cabinets and other equipment are used efficiently. 
   • Maintain an equipment inventory to assess usage and identify underutilized or redundant devices. 
7. Share Equipment and Resources 
   • Reduce plug load and costs by sharing equipment across labs. 
   • Explore collaborative programs like WE-SPARK NUCLEUS. 

Waste Reduction Actions 

1. Assign a Lab Recycling Coordinator 
   • Designate a lab member to lead waste audits, sorting, and education. 
   • Collaborate with the CCC and Office of Sustainability for support. 
2. Conduct a Waste Bin Audit 
   • Track what’s being thrown away and what could be recycled. Record what you see in the trash and recycle bins at the end of each day or first thing in the morning before they are emptied for about a couple weeks. Note things in the trash that could or should have been recycled. 
   • Identify common waste items (e.g., gloves, pipette tip boxes, bottles). 
   • Use findings to improve bin placement, signage, and waste sorting practices. 
   • Request the necessary bins directly from your custodian, CCC or Facility Services. 
   • Remind lab members about proper recycling practices. 
3. Reduce single-use plastics  
   • Use glassware such as beakers, flasks, and pipettes where possible. 
   • Replace disposable tubes and bottles with autoclavable alternatives. 
   • Re-use pipette tip boxes. Purchase brands that offer refill systems or washable boxes. 
   • Wash are re-use uncompromised items such as plastic weigh boats, centrifuge tubes, and media bottles. 
4. Participate in Special Recycling programs 
   • Explore programs like TerraCycle for non-standard or hard to recycle items. 
   • Set up PPE recycling stations in your lab. 
   • Use on-campus programs to recycle spent Batteries & Cellphones, Printer Cartridges and Mercury-Containing Lamps.  
   • Set up clearly labeled recycling stations for plastics like Pipette Tip Boxes and clean bottles. 
   • Partner with CCC and the Office of Sustainability to find re-use outlets for surplus items. 
5. Maintain Chemicals and Inventory 
   • Track expiration dates and storage times, especially for peroxide-forming, potentially explosive chemicals and other degradable chemicals. 
   • Purchase only what you need for the immediate future. 
   • Choose smaller containers that are easier to handle and less likely to become waste. 
   • Maintain a current inventory to avoid duplicate orders and ensure efficient use of existing stock. 
     • An inventory of chemicals for each lab can be found on the University’s Hazardous Materials Information System(HMIS).  
     • Newly purchased chemicals are automatically added to your HMIS inventory; however, spent or depleted items must be manually removed or “disposed” in the system by a lab member to keep your inventory current. 
     • Contact CCC to request access to your labs HMIS chemical inventory.  
     • Instruct lab members on how to access the HMIS inventory and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for chemicals present in your lab.  
6. Share Resources 
   • Consider setting up a common space shared amongst multiple labs in the same building to reuse smaller items.  
   • Borrow small quantities of chemicals from nearby labs whenever possible to reduce unnecessary purchases. 
7. Rethink Experimental Design 
   • Minimize experiment size while maintaining data integrity. 
   • Use less hazardous chemicals or non-toxic alternatives. 
   • Chose more efficient reactions and computer simulations where feasible. 
8. Biohazardous/Biomedical Waste 
   • Understand what items 'need to be sterilized'. This will avoid wasting energy and water to sterilize unnecessary items such as uncontaminated wrappers, packaging and bottles.   
   • Only biohazardous material that requires sterilization prior to land disposal should be placed in the biohazardous/biomedical waste container (typically a labeled biohazardous waste box lined with an autoclave bag). 
   • Segregate biohazardous and biomedical waste accordingly. For more information see Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Waste Handling (PDF). 
   • Ensure all lab members who generate biohazardous waste are aware of procedures and have proper training. Autoclave training is offered through the CCC. 
9. Chemical Waste 
   • Practice proper chemical disposal procedures. For more information see Chemical Waste | Chemical Control Centre. 
   • Segregate chemical waste appropriately – foremost for safety. This also helps to minimize disposal cost and environmental impact down the line.   
   • Dispose of non-hazardous solid waste in the trash. 

Additional Resources:  

• Thermo Fisher Zero Waste Guide (PDF) 
• Cutting Laboratory Plastic Waste – My Green Lab 
• Reducing Plastic Waste in Scientific Protocols – FEBS Letters 
• Life Cycle Assessments of Lab Consumables – PLOS 
• The Canadian National Zero Waste Council’s Circular Economy Business Toolkit 

Rethink Purchasing in Labs

Purchasing and procurement are among the most impactful levers for improving laboratory sustainability. Far from being a standalone process, procurement influences every aspect of sustainable lab operations, from energy use and waste generation to chemical safety and ethical sourcing. 

Every item in your lab is procured by someone. Each purchase represents an opportunity to make informed decisions that consider: 

• Resource use 

• End-of-life management 

• Environmental and health impacts 

• Ethical and social responsibility 

Sustainable Manufacturers & Products 

When integrating sustainability into your lab’s procurement process, it’s important to distinguish between sustainable manufacturers and sustainable products.  

Sustainable manufacturers are companies that focus on minimizing environmental and social impacts during production and distribution. For example, a manufacturer might: 

• Use 100% renewable energy to power production facilities 

• Commit to zero-waste manufacturing goals 

• Ship products in recyclable or reusable packaging 

• Support employee sustainability programs 

Sustainable products are designed to reduce impact across their entire life cycle: from raw material sourcing to end-of-life disposal. For example, sustainable products might: 

• Require less packaging 

• Be compact for efficient shipping and storage 

• Include biodegradable or compostable components 

• Reduce secondary waste 

• Be more energy and water efficient 

Sustainable Purchasing Actions

1. Work with vendors and suppliers to minimize or eliminate hard to recycle packing materials like ESP (expanded polystyrene “Styrofoam”) coolers and inserts. 
2. Practice demand planning. Keep an inventory tracking system to get an idea of your lab’s future needs so that you are purchasing exactly what and how much you need for the timeline you need it in. Right-size your purchases to ensure that you are purchasing the right volume of a product based on how quickly you use it. 
3. Consolidate order and shipments within or with other labs. 
4. Reduce single use items. Work with your lab to come up with a list of most used consumables and talk to your suppliers about options that can help you reduce waste, hazards, water, or energy. 
5. Look for second hand items and reuse programs when looking for equipment, furniture and reagents. 
6. Contact vendors to identify nontoxic and/or Green Seal Certified cleaning products. Connect with CCC or Office of Sustainability for further information. 
7. The Green Products Database, developed by Public Services and Procurement Canada, provides a comprehensive catalog of eco-friendly products and clean technologies to help support environmentally responsible purchasing. 
8. Make ACT part of your procurement process. The ACT Environmental Impact Factor Label  is a great initiative to helps scientists and procurement professionals make informed, eco-conscious decisions when selecting lab products. ACT focuses on: 
   • Accountability: Ensuring manufacturers are responsible for their environmental practices. 
   • Consistency: Providing standardized metrics across products. 
   • Transparency: Offering clear, third-party verified data. 
9. Use supplier scorecards or questionnaires to ask suppliers about sustainability certifications, goals, or policies as well as specifics about the environmental impact of their products or services. The Basic Sustainability Assessment Tool is a free, open-source organizational-level sustainability question set that can be used as is or modified to meet your needs. 
10. Life Sciences green labels 
    1. Thermo Fisher added a green leaf to product search results to call out items with attributes such as less waste, uses fewer resources, energy efficient, sustainable packaging, or sustainable disposal. Similar green leaf indicators are used by Avantor and Fisher Scientific. 
    2. In the Sigma Aldrich product search platform, you can find Greener Alternative Products under the “Sustainability” menu option. 
11. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) evaluates the environmental impact of a product across its entire life cycle. It’s a useful tool for comparing processes and identifying carbon-intensive hotspots. To raise awareness, consider presenting an LCA case study at a lab meeting. A great starting point is the recent paper from the European Green Lab community: “Re-use of labware reduces CO2 equivalent footprint and running costs in laboratories.” It highlights how reusing labware can cut emissions and costs. 

Additional Resources: 

UNEP Life Cycle Assessment Plastic-Bottles-Report (PDF) 

Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council 

 

1. Follow and implement the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry  

   • Gain a solid understanding of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry - American Chemical Society  

   • Consider creating a checklist of key principles to guide experiment planning and ensure alignment with sustainable practices. 

2. Educate Your Team  

   • Post the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry around the lab and office spaces. 

   • Remind researchers to check inventories, look on the shelves, and ask neighboring labs before purchasing a new chemical. 

   • Use group or department meetings as an opportunity to introduce a conversation about Green Chemistry. Beyond Benign’s PowerPoint Lecture 1 and the University of Toronto’s Green Chemistry Videos are great ways to introduce each topic. 

3. Substitute Hazardous Chemicals 

   • Replace toxic solvents with bio-based, ionic liquids, or water-based alternatives. 

   • Use solvent selection guides such as the Beyond Benign Solvent Guide and the ACS GCI Solvent Tools 

4. Design Greener Experiments 

   • Apply Principles #1 (Prevent Waste), #4 (Design Safer Chemicals), and #10 (Design for Degradation) to minimize waste and harmful byproducts. 

   • Use the DOZN™ 2.0 Calculator to evaluate the environmental impact of chemicals and processes using Millipore Sigma’s free tool.

Additional Resources:  

Green Chemistry & Sustainability - American Chemical Society 

Green Chemistry Teaching & Learning Community (GCTLC) 

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Green Chemistry Toolkit 

Methylene chloride replacements and other resources (GCTLC) 

Use This Not That: Safer Substitutions for Methylene Chloride (Video) 

1. Lead by Example 
   • Appoint a sustainability representative or liaison to guide efforts and model best practices. 
   • Ensure leaders (managers, PIs, supervisors) show visible support for sustainability initiatives. 
2. Make Information Accessible  
   • Post clear, practical sustainability guidelines in visible locations. 
   • Maintain a shared document or folder with sustainability roles, tips, and resources for your group. 
   • Invite guest speakers or organize field visits to build knowledge and inspiration. 
3. Integrate Suitability practices into Onboarding 
   • Include sustainability best practices in orientation and training for new members. 
   • Pair new members with a “green buddy” to support them in learning sustainable habits early. 
   • Make sustainable choices the default (i.e. reusable labware, double-sided printing, energy-saving equipment). 
4. Communicate 
   • Share updates from the Office of Sustainability, including events, programs, and funding opportunities. 
   • Use multiple outlets, i.e. email, meetings, group chats, newsletters to reach all communication styles. 
   • Add sustainability as a standing item in staff or lab meetings. 
   • Encourage open discussion about what’s working, what’s not, and how the team can improve. 
5. Celebrate Progress 
   • Highlight individual or team sustainability achievements. 
   • Use visuals like progress trackers or dashboards to show the impact of your actions. 
6. Host Events 
   • Try themed challenges (i.e. zero-waste week, energy-saving month) to get people involved in a fun way. 
   • Get tips from the University of Windsor Campus Green Guide when planning meetings and events. 
7. Keep it Collaborative  
   • Sustainability works best when it’s a shared effort. Ask questions, invite ideas, and co-create solutions with your team. The more involved people feel, the more likely they are to stay engaged and committed. 
   • Involve everyone in shaping sustainability goals so that diverse perspectives are reflected. 
   • Offer annual Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID) and sustainability-related workshops or activities. 
   • Make sure physical spaces and systems are accessible to people of all abilities, heights, and strengths. Various resources and training modules are offered through the Office of Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Mediation.  
   • Use the accessible event checklist (PDF) when planning events. 

Join other Global Networks: 

• Sustainable Labs Canada (SLCan) 
• Beyond Benign 
• Green Your Lab Network  
• International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)  
• My Green Lab