Green Labs
Labs use more utilities and generate more hazardous waste than any other facility at the university.
Did you know:
- One fume hood uses as much energy as 3 U.S homes Harvard Study
- Ultra-low freezers use as much electricity as a house
- Baylor labs generate more than 20 tons of hazardous waste every year
Be on the lookout for Styrofoam recycling in the BSB, coming soon!
Green laboratory practices are designed to help research and teaching labs reduce Baylor’s environment footprint and save money!
You can make your lab greener by following these practices:
- Use green Chemistry Principles
- Organize chemicals by FIFO (first in, first out)
- Swap mercury thermometers with EHS
- Close the fume hood sash when not in use
- Participate in Baylor’s glove recycling program
- Clean your freezer’s filter monthly
- Defrost and organize your freezer annually
- Turn down freezers to -70 oC or lower to save energy
- Use full loads for autoclaves and glassware washers
- Use chillers for cooling equipment instead of water
- Buy ENERGY STAR equipment
- Use re-useable PPE
- Carpool when doing field research
How can my lab become a “Green Lab”
Contact EHS at ehs@baylor.edu or 254-710-2900 for more information
Trade in websites for lab equipment:
Here are some programs where you can trade-in lab equipment for credit.
Fisher Trade-In Program trade chromatography, discrete analyzers, elemental analysis, sample preparation, and mass spectrometry instruments for upgrades. Here is a brochure.
American Laboratory Trading- American Laboratory allows for a broader range of equipment that can be traded in, such as centrifuges, balance/scale, evaporator, and many more. All equipment must be decontaminated and cleared by EHS.
Resources
- My Green Lab offers tips on how to be greener and where to find greener alternatives.
- Lab Conscious has a guide on products that can help you be more green.
- Turning down your freezer to -70 oC or higher can save energy, here is a Database on what biological samples you can store safely at higher temperatures
- Environmental Impact Database compares the environmental impact factor of equipment, chemicals, and consumables.
- Green products for labs, Thermo Fisher Scientific, sigmaaldrich and VWR.
- Green chemistry tools American Chemical Society (ACS), Curr Organic Resource Guide, Green Chemistry Evaluator, GreenScreen , Safer Chemical Ingredients List | US EPA