Chemicals

If running a sustainable business or lab is ‘too hard’ it shows just how far we have come from existing in harmony with a healthy world. If the thought of making changes to how we eat, get to work, light and heat the building is difficult then when we think about the products that we use in the lab conceiving how things can be done differently pretty much overwhelms us.

Yes it is a big subject. 

Yes, it will not be possible to tackle everything at once.

But, you are not alone and there are lots of brilliant minds out there trying to solve this problem too.

Providing specific advice on every fixative, stain and chemical in your path lab is beyond the scope of these pages. What we aim to do is give some sources of advice and encouragement to help and give you the courage to make the changes that you can. If you find something that works please share it and help these changes happen faster.

Follow these links for specific information on:

Formalin

Xylene

Ask your suppliers about their sustainability policy. Many of them do have one. Some suppliers offer audited chemical waste disposal or if possible recycling. (If they don’t ask them why not?) Some offer advice to help you decrease your environmental footprint, some have started to use specific tags to identify all the items that are environmentally preferable to products in the same category.

Keep asking and make them understand your needs.