Success stories: The Faculty of Life Sciences and UniGreenScheme
How the Faculty of Life Sciences prevented 9.7 tonnes of waste by selling redundant equipment through UniGreenScheme.
The University of Bristol’s Faculty of Life Sciences has worked with UniGreenScheme to collect and resell old lab equipment, in order to give it a second chance at life. As well as freeing up valuable lab space, over a period of four years, the collaboration has successfully:
- Saved nearly 10 tonnes of waste, by facilitating reuse
- Prevented 25 tonnes of CO2 emissions, by avoiding manufacture of new equipment
- Generated over £22,000 in financial benefit for the department, through both savings and rebates
These significant savings have been achieved through the collection of equipment, including: 19 microscopes and many objectives, 21 faulty items which would have otherwise been disposed of, 35 laboratory cupboards, 14 spectrophotometers and 69 AD Instruments.
As well as benefitting the Faculty, it has improved accessibility to research for other organizations who have been able to purchase secondhand equipment at more affordable prices. In addition to the collaboration with the Faculty of Life Sciences, the scheme has helped to prevent over 650,000 kg of waste nationwide.