The University of Michigan Office of Campus Sustainability has issued our lab the Gold Certification for steps taken to minimize waste, utilize safer chemistry, and improve energy usage in the lab.
From the OCS:
The average laboratory consumes 4 to 10 times more energy and resources as compared to a class room or an office environment. They may generate large volumes of hazardous waste and consume large quantities of water. These impacts provide an opportunity to save energy and resources. The Sustainability Laboratory recognition program is designed by the Office of Campus Sustainability (OCS) to promote and practice sustainable operations in a more standardized way in teaching and research labs across our campus.
The program is run in a phased manner to lessen impact on laboratory staff resources. Once a laboratory manager contacts OCS, our staff will visit the laboratory and evaluate lab practices in terms of pollution prevention, waste minimization, green purchasing, recycling, green chemistry, treatment and disposal. Following the evaluation step recommendations will be provided specific to the laboratory operations and it will be up to the laboratory staff to implement them. Once the recommendations are implemented, the lab will be formally recognized as a UM Sustainable Laboratory and presented with a decal for their door as well as other forms of recognition. Your laboratory will be featured on the OCS website to identify you to your peers as a laboratory with best practices.
Benefits from this program include but not limited to:
- The introduction to Green chemistry practices that our students and industry are expecting
- Reduced consumption of energy and utilities
- Reduction in use and generation of hazardous materials
- Increase in use and recycling
- Improved safety for lab students, faculty and staff
