General Rule
Purchase only what is necessary and group your purchases to optimize packaging and transportation.
Before purchasing
- Track expiry dates to avoid unnecessary purchases.
- Ask around or use Catalyse to find out who you could borrow from
- Open Catalyse > open the left-hand menu > “? Search and Request” > “Request Item Search” > “Advanced Search” > Under “Product name contains”, enter the name or CAS number of the product you are looking for.
- Spend time on experiment design
- Favour PP-made PS plastic consumables where applicable1
- Consider referring to the ACT environmental impact factor label. It can be a starting point to compare the environmental impact of similar products.
- Find out more on the EPFL sustainable purchase guideline for lab consumables
- Discuss and assess your specific The SV workshop can provide technical advice on a large number of equipment types. This helps homogenize equipment throughout the School, optimize maintenance, ensure the best after-sale services, reduce costs for research laboratories, as well as select more environmentally friendly equipment.
- Explore sharing equipment with other labs, or the SV platforms
- Opt for second-hand or refurbished The SV workshop has some second-hand devices available.
- Explore the equipment exchange platform for all EPFL labs.
Autoclaves example:
The SV services include a glassware facility with dedicated autoclaves for sterilization. These autoclaves are frequently and carefully maintained and available for you to use. Today, they are not used at their full capacity, please avoid purchasing your own autoclaves and enjoy the glassware facility.
Find out more about the Sterilization procedure.
Contact the SV Workshop via ServiceNow form.
More information
- Throughout the equipment’s lifecycle, a large majority of greenhouse gas emissions occur during the production phase. This is particularly true in Switzerland where low-carbon electricity is consumed during the use phase. (ADEME, Electricity Maps)
- Sustainability is not limited to electricity consumption and CO2 emissions:
- Equipment that uses less electricity, or none at all, is not necessarily more sustainable.
- Before purchasing, take into account the consumables that the piece of equipment requires.
- Avoid over- and under-equipping.
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