Plastic waste in Life science Research
Single-use plastic is a massive environmental problem. Biological research contributes significantly to single-use plastic waste. A recent study estimated that though scientists comprise only 0.1% of the world population, but they generate about 2% of plastic waste. Life science researchers alone generate about 5 million tonnes of plastic every year. To put this in perspective, this is equivalent to about 250 billion 1 liter plastic bottles, which, when lined back to back, would be longer than the roundtrip distance between the earth and the moon 65 times over.
The production of these single-use plastics emits greenhouse gases, a leading cause of global warming. Most of the plastic waste generated in biological research is not recycled as they are contaminated. As a result, these single-use plastics end up in landfills, dumped into the ocean, or incinerated. Either of these modes of disposal causes pollution to the land, water, or air. These single-use plastics are also relatively expensive and consume a lot of research funding. We at GreenFocus Research Technologies aim to provide sustainable, eco-friendly, and economical solutions for Lifescience Research.
