Preparing for the Future with Sustainable Lab Balances

As lab managers increasingly prioritize sustainability and more ambitious targets are set, continued progress requires more multifaceted approaches. While many labs start by addressing concerns like energy consumption in cold storage and fume hoods, benchtop equipment can have an outsized impact on a lab’s overall footprint through the supply chain, lifespan, and energy consumption. 

Though often overlooked in sustainability discussions, daily-use benchtop equipment like balances play an integral role. Lab managers can make more informed choices that contribute to sustainability goals by examining an instrument’s lifecycle from manufacture to disposal, energy efficiency, and supplier sustainability practices.

Lab balances play a central role in operations and analytics, often prominent in large numbers and frequently used in labs for a wide range of applications. Balances are essential for precision measurements in experiments and processes, and their reliability is paramount. Their ubiquity and criticality in the lab warrant focused attention on their sustainability, without compromising their accuracy and precision, usability, or flexibility. Ensuring that these devices are both environmentally friendly and high-performing requires manufacturers to innovate in design and materials.

By considering the impact of high-use benchtop equipment and supplier practices in purchasing decisions, lab managers can make meaningful advancements in sustainability efforts and are better equipped to meet ambitious sustainability targets. In particular, the right lab balance contributes to a sustainable future while maintaining high standards of precision and accuracy.