It’s always exciting when a maverick hits the mark. The first polylactic acid (PLA) Petri dish product is a one-to-one replacement for labs using fossil fuel-based plastic plates for cell culture. The maker, a small privately owned company called Diversified Biotech, Inc., collaborated with researchers from Brandeis University to develop it. Fostering eco-justice with a simple swap sounds good, but could this specialized PLA material even improve cell culture?
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Q and A with Polycarbin - The Closed-Loop Lab Plastic system sweeping Life science
If one sustainability conundrum vexes biologists, it is the environmental consequences of single-use lab plastic waste generated by laboratory work. In this conversation with Noah Pyles, we hear what sets Polycarbin apart from typical lab plastic recycling, how their system works, and why it matters…
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Tackling Waste: 5 Steps to Less Plastic Waste in the Lab
Life sciences laboratories are another area in which plastic waste can be reduced. Approximately 5.5 million tons of plastic waste are produced every year in life sciences laboratories alone, including items like pipette tips, nitrile gloves and cell culture flasks. In the age of global waste pollution and the ubiquity of plastic in the world around us, this is definitely too much. It can’t all be changed, but improvements are possible in some areas.
Read MoreA lively and open discussion on sustainable laboratories with scientists
First off, people were fired up during the panel discussion. It was terrific. The audience and panelists critically examined typical lab practices and the effectiveness of ways to reduce waste. This is a great podcast to listen to over lunch. You can also read the full transcript of the green symposium podcast on the New England Biolabs web site, which includes helpful links to the resources mentioned.
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Biotech scaling up Nodax™ a Landfill and Waterway biodegradable, biobased plastic
Today’s blog is about (truly) bio-degradable Nodax™ PHA plastic, produced by the biotech company Danimer Scientific. Nodax™ PHA was invented some time ago, but its commercialization has just been ignited by food industry investments. Expect this bioplastic to spread like wildfire.
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Green Labs will recycle any Boston area lab tip box collections with mixes of any manufacturer!
New recycling company Green Labs streamlines Boston lab collections
As the U.S. recycling industry undergoes a transformation, life scientists are looking for trustworthy, local recyclers to meet the challenge of processing lab plastic. Recycling systems work when they are convenient and space efficient. Boston area lab facilities have a new service option that does just that!
Read MoreThe Secret Technology that Allows Labs to Reuse Plastic Pipette Tips
The words "game changer" gets thrown around a lot, but in this case it's a bulls eye. Academic, government and industrial laboratories are using this instrument to reduce consumables costs by 90%+ and to prevent plastic pollution. Learn more in this Labconscious interview with inventor and CEO Ali Safavi.
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