{"id":26984,"date":"2021-04-22T10:49:33","date_gmt":"2021-04-22T10:49:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org\/?p=18449"},"modified":"2024-11-03T15:14:58","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T15:14:58","slug":"the-art-of-practicing-sustainable-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/the-art-of-practicing-sustainable-science\/","title":{"rendered":"The art of practicing sustainable science"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

This year, the UK will<\/span> host the 26<\/span>th<\/span> UN Climate Change Conference<\/span>, an opportunity for h<\/span>eads of state, climate experts and negotiators to come together to agree on coordinated action to tackle climate change.<\/span><\/p>\n

Climate change is<\/span> here and it\u2019s<\/span> not slowing down<\/span>.<\/span> In 2020,<\/span> a study<\/span><\/a> revealed<\/span> that the Amazon is racing towards the pivotal point where it switches from a rainforest to a savannah.<\/span><\/p>\n

But<\/span> what does th<\/span>e Amazon<\/span> have to do with cancer research?<\/span> Waste.<\/span><\/p>\n

L<\/span>abs and research institutions<\/span> have been<\/span> found to be<\/span> responsible for a huge amount of<\/span> physical<\/span> waste<\/span>, and a large expense of<\/span> energy<\/span> resources<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

T<\/span>he idea of tack<\/span>l<\/span>ing these huge problems<\/span> can<\/span> often<\/span> feel<\/span> overwhelming<\/span>. A<\/span>nd sometimes<\/span>,<\/span> the<\/span> positive<\/span> effect of one person can seem lost in<\/span> all<\/span> the noise<\/span>. But there are things<\/span> that<\/span> labs<\/span>,<\/span> scientific institutions<\/span>, and the individuals working at these places<\/span> can do to<\/span> reduce<\/span> the<\/span> impact<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

We spoke to<\/span> 3<\/span> researchers<\/span> working in<\/span> Cancer Research UK<\/span> labs<\/span> and trials<\/span> across the country, who are taking the problem into their own hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

How many w<\/span><\/span>h<\/span><\/span>ales?<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Labs are a whir of activity, innovation and lifesaving knowledge. But they\u2019re also huge producers of waste, and until recently, may have slipped under the radar as a target of environmental responsibility.<\/p>\n

By the end of the day in a lab, a whole heap of bottles, pipettes, pipette tips and gloves, to name just a few, can end up as waste.<\/p>\n

Studies have tried to estimate the plastic waste produced by the scientific research industry. In 2015, researchers at the University of Exeter weighed the plastic waste accumulated by their bioscience department\u2019s plastic waste over the year. From this figure they extrapolated that globally, biomedical and agricultural labs could be accountable for 5.5m tonnes of plastic waste.<\/p>\n

To put that into context, it is the equivalent weight of approximately 27,500 blue whales.<\/p>\n

So, the question remains, is there a way to reduce waste in labs without compromising the research?<\/p>\n

A plastic problem<\/h2>\n

Sally Fletcher studies changes to specific enzymes in the development of stomach cancers at the University of Birmingham, but was elected Sustainability Lead at the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences last year. \u201cVery high on people\u2019s concern, at least from a day-to-day basis, is the amount of single use plastic that we have and there are certain things you can do to reduce the waste.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sally\u2019s working to set up a system to make sure that this waste can be appropriately recycled, something that Sam Littler put in place early last year at our Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC).<\/p>\n

Sam, who\u2019s work focuses on ovarian cancer, describes a similar problem of mounting piles of plastic after a day in the lab. But there\u2019s a fix \u2013 with the plastic that can be recycled, it\u2019s simply about a change in practice, and ensuring plastic is washed out 3 times.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took a few months to get people to really think and get that ingrained. But we had a technical officer for the building who was also on board and he implemented information on recycling of plastic waste into his lab inductions. So for new people that were coming through, that really cemented it into their mind that this is the way it\u2019s always been.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it was actually trying to tease the bad habits out of the people that have been working at the MCRC for a while. They have got so used to just throwing it [media plastic bottles] into clinical waste.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the initiative was set up, Sam says it encouraged a whole load of new conversations. \u201cBut also, I think with things like the David Attenborough documentaries and Liz Bonnin discussing plastic waste in the media, I was suddenly having conversations with people at work who I didn\u2019t realise were equally enthusiastic about green stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

And as well as recycling their work products, Sam and her team managed to secure a pot of money from the University of Manchester to buy Terracycle bins, which have allowed them to recycle their plastic snack wrappers. \u201cAfter 3 months, we showed MCRC users that we were able to fill two, eight or nine litre bins, full of crisp and snack wrappers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reusing<\/span> and<\/span> reducing<\/span><\/h2>\n

But recycling is<\/span> not the only<\/span> green route<\/span> for plastic<\/span> waste<\/span>. Reusing and repurposing are<\/span> also<\/span> good option<\/span>s<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

As<\/span> Sam<\/span> explains, this<\/span> was<\/span> the<\/span> case<\/span> for<\/span> the large plastic bags that conta<\/span>in their labs<\/span> Eppendorf<\/span> tubes.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>Eppendorf\u2019s<\/span> are these tiny vials that we use every day<\/span>,<\/span> and they come in these big, massive plastic bags, but they can\u2019t be recycled because they\u2019re the wrong type of plastic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of the celebrations for World Cancer Day at the beginning of<\/span> last year<\/span>,<\/span> Sam<\/span> helped to organise a session<\/span> at the M<\/span>CRC<\/span> where a<\/span> group<\/span> of students from the local primary school<\/span> were invited to<\/span> produce<\/span> Ecob<\/span>ricks<\/span> out of these large plastic bags,<\/span> which would<\/span> eventually<\/span> make a greenhous<\/span>e for their school<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>It<\/span>\u2019s a<\/span> laborious<\/span> process<\/span>,<\/span> as<\/span> you have to cut the<\/span> plastic<\/span> up into little strips and just stuffed them into two litre plastic bottles, like Coca Cola bottles<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> explains<\/span> Sam<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>So<\/span> all these year<\/span> 4<\/span> kids came in and we taught them how to make these Eco bricks. It was a good<\/span> opportunity to<\/span> encourage the kids to<\/span> use their<\/span> creativity and<\/span> educate them about<\/span> how much plastic<\/span> we<\/span> use in the lab and how we are trying our best to reduce<\/span> it.<\/span> B<\/span>ut<\/span> also,<\/span> about<\/span> what we can do<\/span> to repurpose<\/span> the stuff that we can\u2019t reduce or recycle, we can try to<\/span> do<\/span> something quite cool, like<\/span> build<\/span> a greenhouse.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One of our researchers giving a talk to primary school students. <\/p>\n

” data-medium-file=”https:\/\/scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sam_environtalk-300×168.jpg” data-large-file=”https:\/\/scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sam_environtalk.jpg” loading=”lazy” class=”size-full wp-image-18450″ src=”https:\/\/zniup3zx6m0ydqfpv9y6sgtf-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sam_environtalk.jpg” alt width=”620″ height=”348″ srcset=”https:\/\/zniup3zx6m0ydqfpv9y6sgtf-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sam_environtalk.jpg 620w, https:\/\/zniup3zx6m0ydqfpv9y6sgtf-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sam_environtalk-300×168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/zniup3zx6m0ydqfpv9y6sgtf-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sam_environtalk-220×123.jpg 220w, https:\/\/zniup3zx6m0ydqfpv9y6sgtf-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Sam_environtalk-150×84.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px”><\/p>\n

Sam Littler gave an impact talk to the local primary school.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

It\u2019s not just labs that are a huge source of plastic waste.<\/span> Cristiana<\/span> Goncalves<\/span> is<\/span> a research<\/span> nurse and<\/span> works on Cancer Research UK funded<\/span> clinical<\/span> trials at Southampton hospital<\/span>.<\/span> Cristiana<\/span> has been working to re<\/span>purpose<\/span> medical supplies<\/span> that<\/span> would<\/span> otherwise go to waste.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>T<\/span>he way the trials are organised is<\/span> that<\/span> even before we start recruiting patients for the trial, so even before the trial is officially open,<\/span> the sponsor and the trial teams responsible for the trial forward lots of kits to each site running the trial<\/span>,\u201d<\/span> Cristiana<\/span> explains. \u201c<\/span>So,<\/span> each visit that the patient attends for the trial, we have a kit box. Inside that box, we have needles, tubes, gauzes<\/span>,<\/span> plastic bags,<\/span> urine samples and more.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

These kits are<\/span> essential<\/span> to the<\/span> incredible work that<\/span> Cristiana<\/span> and her colleagues do. \u201cBut what happens is that the pharmaceutical companies are very keen,<\/span> and<\/span> they send, for example<\/span>,<\/span> 15 kits for each visit, when probably we will only recruit<\/span> 2<\/span> patients.<\/span> So, you can imagine the waste that that will be produced because of that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Initially the<\/span> clinical trials team was told that when a trial closes, to dispose of the remaining kits<\/span>. B<\/span>ut<\/span> instead<\/span>,<\/span> Cristiana<\/span> and her team sit down and separate everything out to either be<\/span> recycled or<\/span> reused<\/span> \u2013 everything from needles to lab equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n

The process is extremely time<\/span> consuming<\/span>.<\/span> \u201cIt takes hours, every time, but obviously it makes sense to do it. You don\u2019t want to be saving the people and destroying the world whilst you\u2019re doing it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Energy saving tips<\/h2>\n

For Sally, as well as reducing plastic use, there is a real push to save energy in the labs. \u201cAt the moment, there\u2019s quite a drive across our institute to persuade people to change the temperature of their freezers, because that\u2019s one way to definitely make a dent in reducing and reducing the amount of electricity that we\u2019re using as an institute,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur ultra-low freezers are where we store our samples, but there\u2019s plenty of evidence that suggests that you don\u2019t need to put it at minus 80. You can keep it at minus 70. And if you do that, there\u2019s lots of approximate statistics about how much energy you save by doing that. And it\u2019s enormous, really.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sally\u2019s lab have already implemented the new policy and are encouraging other labs at the Birmingham Institute to do the same.<\/p>\n

There has been some hesitancy to change freezer temperatures as people worry about the quality of their samples. But following the success of the changes in their lab, Sally remains hopeful. \u201cI think most will get on board with I think they just need they just need nudging in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s not easy being green\u2019<\/span><\/h2>\n

T<\/span>raditionally,<\/span> building<\/span> sustainable practices<\/span> in<\/span> science and medicine hasn\u2019t been<\/span> easy<\/span>.<\/span> It\u2019s a balancing act.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were certain things we will never be able to change I don\u2019t think. People are always going to grow cells on plastic dishes<\/span> and they\u2019re going to bin them once they\u2019ve used them<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> Sally<\/span> comments<\/span>.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>Instead,<\/span> it\u2019s always about kind of improving what we<\/span> can<\/span><\/em> do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Cristiana<\/span> agrees.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>The plastic is<\/span> a necessary waste, to be honest. But if we can<\/span>,<\/span> then whenever possible<\/span>, we should<\/span> try to compensate that necessary waste<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For<\/span> Sam<\/span>, it\u2019s about<\/span> encourag<\/span>ing<\/span> the<\/span> enthusiasm<\/span> that<\/span> people<\/span> have for the planet<\/span> outside of work<\/span>, into the lab. \u201cWhen you come into a lab space<\/span> the \u201crecycling rules\u201d change<\/span>. Like it\u2019s just a completely different world.<\/span> But it\u2019s just about incorporating what we might do at home<\/span>, back<\/span> into the lab<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And<\/span> while everyone can play their part,<\/span> Sam<\/span> emphasises the importance of the big companies<\/span> and suppliers<\/span> recognising their role<\/span>.<\/span> \u201c<\/span>I<\/span>t\u2019s<\/span> really<\/span> the people at the top that need to start implementing change<\/span> too<\/span>, but we as the consumer have a lot of power in asking for this change.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Although it might be a challenge,<\/span> these<\/span> 3<\/span> researchers<\/span> are<\/span> extremely positive<\/span> about what can be achieved<\/span>.<\/span> And with the next generation of environmentally conscious researchers coming into the industry, the future is looking green.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lilly<\/em><\/p>\n

More on this topic<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This year, the UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference, an opportunity for heads of state, climate experts and negotiators to come together to agree on coordinated action to tackle climate change. Climate change is here and it\u2019s not slowing down. In 2020, a study revealed that the Amazon is racing towards the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26984","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26984","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26984"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26984\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45342,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26984\/revisions\/45342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26984"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26984"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26984"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}