Reducing the Science Community Plastic Waste Contribution Through Financially Viable Solutions

Description

Plastic waste is a growing issue for our planet. It is estimated that more than 8.3 x 109 metric tons of plastic have been produced since its introduction. It is thought that less than 90% of total plastics are reused and instead enter the waste stream adding toxins and physical debris to the environment. In 2015, Urbina, et. al. estimated labs contributed 5.5 million tons a year to the problem. While many industries work to find innovative solutions to their plastic waste contributions, the science industry has been slow to adopt aggressive abatement or repurposing strategies. Multiple technologies and practices are being employed within high throughput automation groups and at the benchtop to help laboratories substantially decrease their plastic waste. Employing these technologies can n