APPENDIX D: GREEN LAB

(taken from Ecodemia, by Julian Kinery)

THE MAKINGS OF A GREEN LAB
adapted from the University of Wisconsin-Madison “1993 Chemical Safety and Disposal Guide”

A green laboratory is one that understands its impact on the environment and tries to minimize that impact. Since laboratory operations differ, there is no standard for a green laboratory. The following actions, however, indicate that a laboratory can be a leader in pursuing sound environmental practices.

A green laboratory will:

• Train personnel in chemical and environmental safety, including methods for preventing pollution and minimizing wastes.

• Assess laboratory air emissions, waste water discharges and waste generation to understand environmental effects.

• Buy only the chemicals and quantities needed.

• Use redistributed surplus chemicals whenever possible.

• Review chemical inventories and routinely make usable surplus available to other laboratories.

• Review the chemicals in use to understand their hazards (e.g. reading Material Safety Data Sheets) and search for safer substitutes.

• Keep caps on containers of volatile chemicals.

• Prepare for leaks and spills by using secondary containment and by stocking spill- control supplies.

• Take responsibility for waste disposal by neutralizing acids and treating other chemicals.

• Remind colleagues and new personnel to keep waste types separate, and devise a system of separate waste collection that works for their laboratory.