Currently, research practices in most labs are not aligned with environmental sustainability. As individuals, we can all contribute to the needed systemic shift by changing our practices in the use of plastic disposables.
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Refuse: buy products with less packaging and plastic contents
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Reduce: look for alternatives like glass
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Reuse: use the plastic multiple times, when possible
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Repurpose: find ways to reuse plastics for other applications
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Recycle: single-use plastic is mostly made from fossil oil and creates huge amounts of waste.
Every year tons of single-use plastic are used at research institutions. According to our estimates, more than 40% of our laboratory waste is plastic that could be recycled.
The Climate@MaxPerutzLabs grassroot group is currently exploring, in collaboration with Green Labs Austria, the feasibility of a plastic recycling program at the University of Vienna.
Would you like to learn more about the project or become part of the initiative?
Contact us at climate.group@maxperutzlabs.ac.at