Research labs have an environmental waste problem. While inhabiting buildings with similar footprints to traditional businesses, labs generate far more waste. They use 10x the energy of a traditional office, use 4x as much water, and ultimately generate over five billion pounds of plastic waste each year.
Even a small reduction in waste would have a big impact across the entire industry.
That’s why ABI is committed to using the most ecologically friendly packaging solutions available – and encourages all other biomed suppliers to adopt similar strategies for shipping animal tissue. We prioritize packaging solutions that minimize waste while still ensuring your animal tissues arrive in pristine condition, ready for research or educational work.
Why Are Eco-Conscious Logistics So Important?
Simply put, packaging materials are one of the biggest sources of solid waste in the world.
Every day, tens of millions of packages move across North America, and most of those packages are designed to be thrown out. As a result, according to the EPA, the US is generating more than 82 million tons of packaging waste each year, adding up to 28.1% of all solid municipal waste in the country. The numbers are similar around the world, with packaging materials estimated to make up 40% of all plastic waste globally.
This is grossly wasteful, inefficient, and contributes to massive landfills of garbage that we currently have no good way to dispose of.
Worse, those numbers are currently only going up. As more people globally turn to Internet orders rather than local shopping, the result is even more packages being mailed. In the EU, for example, packaging waste increased by 23% per capita between 2010-2020. The US has similar numbers.
Businesses everywhere need to investigate more sustainable shipping options, and the biomed industry is in a perfect position to lead that charge. Being responsible for more waste than many similar industries, they’re in a prime position to look for better solutions.
We need it to help protect the planet from further environmental harm – and help you hit your green initiative targets.
How Does Sustainable Lab Shipping Work?
It’s a combination of several factors. At ABI, we focus on utilizing biodegradable packaging for research whenever possible. Our goal is to have 100% eco-friendly and sustainable supplies for shipping animal tissue, and we’re constantly looking for new suppliers who can help us create even more sustainable packaging solutions.
However, this cannot compromise product quality! ABI has built our reputation on providing the highest-quality USDA-certified porcine materials available, which require shipping them cold and keeping them cold. Our combination of packaging materials allows us to keep your purchase between 34-36°F for up to three days – even if the package is sitting in direct sunlight. ABI uses biodegradable cold packs to keep tissues in a refrigerated state or dry ice to keep tissues in a frozen state during shipping.
ABI implements frequent testing of our packaging methods to ensure it provides consistent reliability.
We can accommodate special needs as well, such as vacuum sealing your tissues or packaging them in preservative fluids. In every case, we’ll be looking to use the most eco-conscious materials possible.
On the shipping side, we do our best to utilize couriers who are also committed to reducing ecological harm. Most often, we utilize FedEx, which has pledged to have a 100% electric vehicle fleet by 2040. We also provide exceptional quality, fully vetted couriers which can deliver tissues next day and same day (depending on your location).
In addition, we also embrace reusable containers when appropriate. If you place recurring orders with us, we can set up a system where you send back the containers for reuse, further reducing packaging waste. Combined, all these measures help make us one of the most sustainable options for sourcing research-grade animal tissue.
How Can Businesses Reduce Lab Waste with Logistics?
Smart purchasing can help your biomed operation reduce your waste, along with your carbon footprint.
1 – Source from eco-conscious companies
ABI isn’t the only supplier that’s aware of the problems with shipping animal tissue and lab waste. Look for partners for all of your suppliers who are committed to finding better, safer, cleaner options for shipping their products.
2- Reuse packaging materials when possible
Boxes can always be reused. Cardboard is inherently multipurpose. Insulated coolers can often be put to other uses. ABI’s insulated coolers are biodegradable. There are safety concerns with biomed products, but even then, many packaging types can be reused.
3 – Reduce your shipping footprint
Even if your operation doesn’t mail things out constantly, look to reduce packaging whenever you ship materials. Choose bio-degradable materials for packaging, such as compostable mailers, even for something as basic as sending paperwork back and forth.
Animal Biotech Industries Is Committed to Green Shipping
No matter what sort of porcine tissues you need, we are here to provide them – and minimize packaging waste in the process. Our team of experts is ready to harvest your materials to order, regardless of what you need, and get it to you in pristine condition. Whether you’re doing research, educational work, or other processes, ABI can be your partner, supplying all the porcine materials you require.
To get started, just take a look at our catalog of materials. Or feel free to contact us directly if you have any questions or need to place a special order.
