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BMC receives Green Lab certification

13 May 2024

Five divisions and institutes at the BMC have successfully completed the certification process of the international "My Green Lab" program. Overall, the second-highest certification level "Platinum" was achieved.

BMC Green Lab Logo

© Green Lab BMC

Reducing the ecological footprint of research work at the Biomedical Center - this is the goal of the grassroots movement "BMC Green Lab Initiative". Researchers, technical assistants and administrators from different areas have joined forces to find ways to work more sustainably in the lab. And there is a lot to do. After all, biomedical research is very resource-intensive. For example, a single ultra-low temperature freezer, in which samples are stored at -80°C, consumes more than three times as much energy per year as a two-person household in Germany.1,2 Water consumption in laboratories is also enormous and very large quantities of waste are produced.

The My Green Lab certification program

Where is the most effective starting point for making a significant impact with minimal effort? Certification programs can provide guidance on this question. Supported by the Green Office Campus Martinsried, the BMC Green Lab Initiative has therefore decided to participate in the certification program of the non-profit organization My Green Lab.

My Green Lab is committed to improving sustainability in laboratory work and has built up a global network. The My Green Lab certification program is recognized by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign. Over 2,000 laboratories worldwide have already participated in the program. At LMU Munich, BMC is one of the first. As a pilot project, the certification process at the BMC was supported by the LMU.

With a joint effort to platinum

The first step towards certification was a self-assessment in March 2023 completed by members of the five participating divisions and institutes. On this basis, My Green Lab developed individual recommendations and tips on how to improve sustainability in the labs. Under the leadership of the members of the BMC Green Lab Initiative, the divisions and institutes implemented various measures in the following months and set their own priorities. One important aspect was to raise awareness of sustainable action among all lab members. Among other things, the "Green Fact of the Month" information campaign was launched for this purpose.

In February 2024, a second self-assessment was conducted to see how the measures had improved sustainability in day-to-day lab work. Based on the assessment, My Green Lab categorized the chairs and institutes into certification levels. The five participating units achieved the levels Silver (1x), Gold (1x), Platinum (1x) and Green (2x), the highest level. Overall, the BMC achieved Platinum, the second-highest level.

The successful certification is no reason for the BMC Green Lab Initiative to rest on its laurels, but rather an incentive to set new goals. To this end, further projects are being initiated, e.g. on the recycling of various plastics or the procurement of environmentally friendly consumables. In addition, the initiative and the Green Office Campus Martinsried, which closely monitored and evaluated the certification process, hope to inspire other labs with sustainability issues.

1 Energy consumption ultra-low temperature freezers (PDF)

2 Energy consumption of households in Germany (accessed Dec 2023)