My Green Lab Launches Environmental Impact Factor Label for Laboratory Products

LOS GATOS, Calif., Oct. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- My Green Lab is pleased to announce the launch of ACT, the first environmental impact factor label for laboratory products. ACT (accountability, consistency, transparency) is designed to provide critical information on the environmental impact of laboratory products.  "The ACT label makes it possible for scientists and procurement specialists to choose safe, sustainable products by focusing on the impact of making, using, and disposing of a product and its packaging," says Allison Paradise, executive director of My Green Lab.  As such, ACT is the premier eco-label for laboratory consumables, chemicals and reagents, and equipment.  

The environmental impact of laboratories is enormous.  Buildings with laboratories often consume five times more energy than office buildings and use millions of gallons of water per year. In 2014 alone, it was estimated that labs discarded over 12 billion pounds of plastic?which doesn't include gloves, hazardous waste and packaging waste.  But it doesn't have to be like this.  Labs can significantly reduce their environmental impact through smarter purchasing.  By providing third-party verified information on a product's energy consumption, water use, and end-of-life, ACT empowers purchasers to consider sustainability alongside performance.

The ACT program has already been adopted by leaders in the life science industry. Eppendorf, MilliporeSigma, Priorclave and Thermo Fisher Scientific have started labeling their products in an effort to increase transparency and assist customers in making smart choices about their purchases. ACT-labeled products are independently audited by Sustainability Made Simple and verified by My Green Lab.  ACT-labeled products can be found on the ACT website as well as on product manufacturer websites.

"MilliporeSigma's Greener Chemistry platform is built on data and transparency," said Jeffrey Whitford, head of global corporate responsibility, MilliporeSigma. "We see tremendous benefit to providing customers with data that they can help use to make informed choices on the footprint of their research work."

More information on the ACT label program can be found at act.mygreenlab.org.   

About My Green Lab
My Green Lab is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving the sustainability of scientific research. Founded in California, the organization was created to unify and lead scientists, vendors, designers, and others in a common drive toward a world in which all research reflects the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. My Green Lab is widely recognized as a leader in developing nationally recognized laboratory standards.

SOURCE My Green Lab