Waste management and environmental health impact: sustainable laboratory medicine as mitigating response

Abstract

Unregulated and unsustainable human, industrial, and scientific activities generate various forms of waste which contribute immensely to the current rising global, multifaceted environmental health challenges. Laboratory medicine practices continue to be a key contributor to this menace with continuous generation of waste ranging from hazardous chemicals and toxic heavy metals to pathogenic biological waste, all of which pose significant risks to environmental and public health. While the wider scientific community has made significant attempts to adopt sustainable practices aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the laboratory medicine sector has lagged behind in implementing effective waste management strategies, particularly in developing countries, highlighting the need for targeted sustainable laboratory medicine practices. This review analysed relevant existing literature on the impact of laboratory waste on environmental health and explored sustainable laboratory medicine as a potential mitigating approach. The findings revealed that inefficient waste management significantly contributes to environmental degradation. Implementing sustainable laboratory (also known as green laboratory) practices such as use of eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient protocols, resource conservation, innovative waste minimisation, and treatment technologies appears to be a crucial framework that will mitigate the threat posed by laboratory-derived waste on environmental health. The review emphasised the need for a paradigm shift towards sustainable laboratory practices, advocating for comprehensive training, institutional commitment, and regulatory support to mitigate the environmental health impacts of laboratory-generated waste. This will ensure that laboratory medicine continues to advance without compromising public health or the planet.