Climate change
Our business model involves a substantial amount of air travel by the directors and account managers in the course of visiting customers around the world. Aircraft emit CO2 , NOx, water vapour, contrails and particulates that have complex effects on the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.
Whilst we are committed to minimising the amount of air travel by making use of video conference facilities, air travel does remain a necessary part of our business. Since trees naturally and efficiently absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, reforestation projects can be used to offset the damaging climate effects of aviation.
Accordingly, we have made a charitable donation to the Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, to fund tree planting to offset the carbon generated. We intend to continue to make similar donations to offset the impact of our air travel in the future.
Plastic waste
Molecular genetics requires a large amount of single-use laboratory plastics. This material is categorised as non-recyclable by the local authority and would normally go to landfill.
We recognise the irreversible effects that plastic pollution is causing to our environment and health as well as the urgency of finding alternative and sustainable ways to recycle and/or reuse laboratory plastics. As we do not use highly toxic chemicals in our daily activities, we are actively trying to find a sustainable solution for the safe disposal of our plastic waste.
Since 2019 with the help of the specialist company, Safetykleen, we have identified some lab plasticware (including nitrile gloves) which can now be “waste to energy recycled”. In the near future, we are hopeful to have a solution for all of our remaining plastics.