​Doing better science while wasting less: Our Lab’s journey​ with LEAF and circular use of lab materials

Why sustainability matters in a laboratory

Laboratories consume large amounts of consumables and packaging, and this quickly turns into waste and cost if not managed with intent. Sector guidance and case studies show that structured programmes can lower material use, divert waste from landfill, and improve research quality at the same time. The aim is not to do less science, it is to remove wasteful steps and choose better products and practices so that results are robust and resources go further (Byrne 2024, Sustainable UCL 2022).

What LEAF is, and why we use it

The Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) was developed by Sustainable UCL. It offers clear actions across waste, procurement, sample and chemical management, research quality, water and culture. Labs complete actions that are then peer audited and receive bronze, silver, or gold awards (We got the Gold this year🎉). The platform also provides tools to estimate the cost and carbon savings from the actions taken by the user. At Queen’s University Belfast, LEAF is supported at the institutional level, which makes collaboration and peer audits straightforward (Sustainable UCL 2022, Queen’s University Belfast Estates Directorate 2021, Queen’s University Belfast Estates Directorate 2022).

Green purchasing, exchange, and reuse of materials and consumables

The following actions can be implemented by any research group without major building work or new infrastructure.

1. Buy better, use longer, waste less

• Prefer systems designed for refills and reuse, for example, pipette tip racks that accept refill inserts, so the rack stays in service while only the tray is replaced. Several suppliers provide detailed guidance on refilling and reuse to extend the rack life through many cycles (Eppendorf 2025).

• Environmental product labelling should be used when selecting consumables and small equipment. The Act ecolabel from My Green Lab provides third-party verified environmental information, helping teams select products with lower impact and better end-of-life pathways (My Green Lab 2025).

• If a take-back option exists for packaging, choose it. For example, shipping containers and boxes from certain suppliers can be returned for reuse or recycled through established schemes (New England Biolabs 2020, University of Bath, 2024).

  
  

2. Set up simple, safe reuse streams inside the lab

• Create a visible shelf for clean surplus items, such as tip racks, ice buckets, secondary containers, empty reagent bottles, and unopened consumables. A short rule set for what can be placed there and how long items stay before redistribution should be added. This keeps useful materials in circulation and reduces the number of duplicate orders. Guidance from university programs suggests that such reuse streams work best when linked to procurement an​d periodic tidy sessions (University of Bristol, 2021).

• Standardise repurposing ideas, for example, reuse empty tip boxes to store labelled non-sterile items, or as stable risers for benchtop devices. Many institutional guides list safe reuse ideas with caveats for contamination control (University of Edinburgh, 2021).

  
  

3. Use campus and supplier take back schemes

• Nitrile glove recycling: The Right Cycle program collects non-hazardous nitrile gloves and certain protective items for recycling and is available in the United Kingdom. Similar solutions are also available through laboratory distributors. Acceptance rules should be checked, and hazardous waste should be strictly separated (Kimberly Clark Professional 2024).

• Pipette tip box recycling: Several suppliers in United Kingdom provide box purchase and return logistics. Choose the route that matches the lab’s usage.

• Distributor supported returns: some suppliers or national distributors offer free, or low-cost take back for specific plastics such as tip boxes. Consult the latest supplier lists compiled by United Kingdom universities (University of Edinburgh 2024).

4. Exchange, not purchase

• Use Warp It, the university supported marketplace for internal reuse. Sstaff can list surplus items or claim what others have posted, which cuts cost and avoids embodied carbon from new purchases. Warp It is widely used across United Kingdom universities and has delivered significant savings and diversion from landfill (Warp It 2025).

• For lab specific needs, agree an exchange channel with nearby groups, for example a swap unopened consumable that are approaching end of shelf life. This works best when linked to a simple spreadsheet and clear rules about unopened and in date only (Warp It 2025, University of Edinburgh 2024).

5. Make procurement part of science quality

• Build a short checklist into ordering, does this item have an ACT label score or a greener choice flag, can we buy the refill rather than a full kit, is there a take back route, does any group already have it on shared list. Over time, this lifts the research baseline while reducing waste (My Green Lab 2025, Thermo Fisher Scientific 2024).

What we have learnt so far

When we prioritise exchange and reuse, the impact is felt in three places. First, less storage pressure and fewer duplicate orders. Second, clearer documentation and traceability, since take back and exchange require basic labelling and record keeping. Third, a positive culture shift, because everyone sees savings and reduced waste in their own area of work. External case studies report similar benefits, along with measurable reductions in waste generation (Byrne 2024).

Sustainability in a lab is a team sport. By choosing better products, exchanging what do not need, and reusing safely where can, you can protect budgets, reduce waste, and strengthen science.

By Shangjie Lian

References

1. Byrne, D 2024, ‘How we slashed our lab’s carbon footprint’, Nature.

2. Eppendorf 2025, ‘epT I P S Motion as SafeRack tips, product information on rack reuse’.

3. Kimberly Clark Professional 2024, ‘The RightCycle Programme for personal protective equipment’.

4. My Green Lab 2025, ‘ACT Ecolabel, programme overview and scorecard’.

5. New England Biolabs 2020, ‘Eco shipping boxes and recyclable cold chain shippers’.

6. Queen’s University Belfast Estates Directorate 2021, ‘Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework at Queen’s’.

7. Queen’s University Belfast Estates Directorate 2022, ‘LEAF resources’.

8. Sustainable UCL 2022, ‘LEAF, Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework, overview and toolkit’, University College London.

9. Thermo Fisher Scientific 2024, ‘Greener Choice programme information’.

10. University of Bath 2024, ‘Minimising lab waste, guidance page’.

11. University of Bristol 2021, ‘Reducing single use laboratory plastics, guidance document’.

12. University of Edinburgh 2021, ‘Sustainable lab consumables guide’.

13. University of Edinburgh 2024, ‘Waste, sustainable labs training and guidance’.

14. Warp It 2025, ‘Queen’s University Belfast staff portal for internal reuse’.