Building a Sustainable Future for Life Science Research

By Dr. Priyom Bose, Ph.D.Reviewed by Lauren Hardaker

The piece examines how laboratories worldwide are tackling high energy use, plastic waste, and carbon emissions through practical innovations and systemic change. It connects sustainability goals with actionable methods that align research and environmental responsibility. 

Image credit: Vigen M/Shutterstock.com

Creating a sustainable future for life science research requires a comprehensive approach that minimizes environmental impact. Reducing waste, increasing energy efficiency, and embracing digitalization are central elements of this effort. Essential strategies include adopting green chemistry and sustainable biomanufacturing, and leveraging digital technologies alongside smart building design.

The Need for Sustainability in Life Science Research

Laboratories are epicentres of innovation and scientific discovery. However, most laboratories engaged in life science research consume significant amounts of energy and water and generate large quantities of waste. Each week, a typical facility discards thousands of plastic petri dishes, bottles, vials, pipettes, and pipette tips. A study estimates that biomedical and agricultural laboratories alone produce 5.5 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, equivalent to 67 cruise liners and 83 % of all plastic recycled globally in 2012.^{1, 4.} Diverting just 2 % of these plastics from landfills could prevent the release of about 100 million metric tons of CO₂.⁴

One ultra-low-temperature (ULT) freezer, a common piece of equipment used for long-term preservation of biological samples such as bacteria, viruses, cell lines, and DNA/RNA constructs, can consume as much energy in a day as an average home.^{2, 4} Similarly, clinical laboratories use between three and six times more energy per unit area than typical commercial buildings.⁴ In addition to ULT units, laboratories emit CO₂ through electricity and gas use for instruments, HVAC systems, lighting, and computers.

In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C, warning that failure to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 would lead to critical ecosystem damage with severe social impacts. Recent updates from the Climate Action Tracker (2025) indicate that global temperatures are still on track to rise about 2.6 °C by 2100 under current policies, unless emissions are cut by over 50 % by 2030.³ Although many research facilities have begun adopting sustainable building practices, comprehensive institutional strategies remain rare.

A survey by Thermo Fisher Scientific found that only 42 % of healthcare and food laboratories had a formal sustainability plan, highlighting persistent gaps in implementation.⁴

Strategies to Promote Sustainable Life Science Research

Increasing awareness of environmental impact and adopting eco-friendly practices are essential first steps toward laboratory sustainability. A “green lab” involves reducing energy consumption, choosing consumables that generate less waste, and redesigning processes to minimize pollution.

Researchers should apply principles of green chemistry and circular design by reviewing protocols and selecting the safest, most sustainable products available.⁵ Swapping single-use plastics for reusable glass and selecting low-toxicity reagents reduces hazardous waste. PulpFixin’s cryogenic boxes, made from plastic-free, recyclable, and industrial-compostable pulp with a moisture-resistant FeatureFilm™ sealant, can store samples at −196 °C.⁶

Some of the key strategies to achieve sustainability in life science research are discussed below:

Plastic Waste Reduction

Research shows that most laboratory waste comes from rigid plastics such as polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP), as well as elastic nitrile gloves.^{1, 7} While not all laboratory plastics can be replaced, emissions can be cut by eliminating carbon-intensive production and disposal steps. Mixing polymers with natural fibres to form biocomposites reduces environmental harm. Using used cooking oil (UCO) as an alternative feedstock for polymer synthesis can reduce product emissions by up to 48 % compared to petroleum-based plastics.⁷

Lower-emission biodegradable plastics remain unsuitable for many lab applications but can serve in packaging and low-stress uses. In addition to reduction and replacement, closed-loop recycling is crucial for a circular lab economy.^{7, 8} The EU Waste Framework Directive establishes hierarchies for prevention, reuse, and recycling, promoting the polluter-pays principle and extended producer responsibility.⁸ Suppliers such as Corning now reprocess single-use lab plastics through chemical recycling to produce virgin-quality materials.⁹

Energy Use Reduction

Heating and cooling systems are major energy sinks in laboratories. Upgrading to zero-emission heat-pump and cooling technologies, and improving insulation and natural light control, enhances efficiency.² Since 2018, the University of Groningen’s green laboratory has reduced CO₂ emissions by decreasing electricity use and adopting geothermal and solar power. Simple actions, such as turning off equipment when idle, sharing storage space, and storing samples at −70 °C instead of −80 °C, can reduce energy use by up to 40 %. The Minus 80 Freezer Challenge program at Princeton University uses automated alerts to monitor freezer performance and reduce waste energy.^{2, 10}

Digital Solutions

Digitalization streamlines resource management and reduces waste through automation and data integration.¹¹ The Digital Laboratory Framework (DLF) connects lab systems via semantic web technology to enable interoperable data sharing. Tools such as RFID tags, QR codes, and mobile apps improve asset tracking and safety by automatically identifying hazardous materials and monitoring lab equipment.¹¹

Future Outlook

Life science laboratories are increasingly adopting green reagents, minimizing plastic waste, and reducing emissions as part of systemic change toward a circular economy.⁷ Effective waste management demands collaboration across the entire plastics value chain, including researchers, manufacturers, waste managers, and policy leaders. Scientific advances such as plastic-degrading enzymes from Ideonella sakaiensis (PETase) offer biological pathways for polymer recycling.⁷

The future of life science research lies in the deeper integration of digital technologies with green chemistry, sustainable materials, and AI-driven predictive tools for smart resource management and emission reduction.

References and Further Reading

1. Mauricio A, et al. Environment: Labs should cut plastic waste too. Nature. 2015; 528 (7583): 479. DOI:10.1038/528479c, https://www.nature.com/articles/528479c
2. Thinking outside the icebox on lab sustainability. Nature Portfolio. 2018; Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/d42473-018-00223-9#:~:text=Absolutely.,to%20a%20lab's%20energy%20use.
3. World set for 2.6°C of warming by 2100, forecasts suggest. ISEP. Available at: https://www.isepglobal.org/articles/world-set-for-26-c-of-warming-by-2100-forecasts-suggest/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWithout%20rapid%2C%20deep%20emissions%20cuts%20%E2%80%93%20over,with%20severe%20consequences%20for%20people%20and%20ecosystems.%E2%80%9D
4. Krishnaraja A. Sustainability in the Lab. Thermo Fisher Scientific. 2024; Available at: https://www.thermofisher.com/blog/anz-science-news/sustainability-in-the-lab/
5. Slootweg JC. Sustainable chemistry: Green, circular, and safe-by-design. One Earth. 2025; 7(5):754-758. DOI:10.1016/j.oneear.2024.04.006, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.04.006
6. Cryogenic boxes. Fulpfixin. Available at: https://www.pulpfixin.us/category/cryogenic-box
7. Weber PM, et al. What's in our bin? : Labs kick off and demand the transition towards a circular economy for lab plastics. EMBO Rep. 2025;26(2):297-302. DOI:10.1038/s44319-024-00360-x, https://www.nature.com/articles/s44319-024-00360-x.
8. Waste Framework Directives. European Commission. Available at: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/waste-framework-directive_en
9. Creating new lives for “single-use” lab plastics.Corning. 2023; Available at: https://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/the-progress-report/crystal-clear/creating-new-lives-for-single-use-lab-plastics
10. Greening Up The Lab: Sustainable Research Practices. Princeton University. 2018; Available at: https://ehs.princeton.edu/news/greening-the-lab-sustainable-research
11. Rihm SD, et al. The digital lab manager: Automating research support. SLAS Technol. 2024; 29(3), 100135. DOI:10.1016/j.slast.2024.100135, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/10.1016/j.slast.2024.100135

Last Updated: Dec 4, 2025