Toward a Sustainable Clinical Lab
Examples and opportunities for building a more sustainable clinical lab
Healthcare has contributed to 4.4 percent of carbon emissions globally. In particular, clinical laboratories use a significant amount of energy, single-use materials, chemicals, water, and cold storage, which is a component of the catalyst for the decline of the environment. This has prompted hospital sustainability leaders to look for ways to reduce the environmental impact of clinical labs. In this webinar presented at our 2022 Digital Forum, the presenters discussed green labs, shared examples of effective changes implemented in clinical labs, and highlighted opportunities to work toward building more sustainable clinical labs.
The webinar was conducted by James Connelly, CEO of My Green Lab, Ilyssa O. Gordon, MD, PhD, associate professor of pathology and medical director of sustainability at the Cleveland Clinic, and Fiona Young, MSc, a senior medical scientist at Irish Blood Transfusion Service National Donor Screening Laboratory. The goal of My Green Lab is to create a sustainable global culture by emphasizing the use of science for the benefit of both people and the environment. The scientific community can enhance environmental performance within their own areas of research by using the programs provided by My Green Lab.
Following the talk, the audience had an insightful, in-depth Q&A session. This covered a wide range of concerns, including how to get management's buy-in to advance environmental projects, enhance sustainability within the lab, keep samples in the freezer without damaging them, and improve standard operating procedures.
Overall, this webinar equips viewers to identify and implement clinical laboratory resource-reduction tactics that correspond with diagnostic and safety requirements.
On-demand access to this webinar and all webinars from the Digital Forum is free. We look forward to the success of our future digital forums as we continue to support the needs of today’s clinical labs. For more information on these free virtual events, please visit our Events page.