Healthcare practices, in general, have a significant environmental impact. Hospitals generate huge quantities of various types of waste (including hazardous waste), consume very large amounts of energy, use many products that are hazardous and consume very large amounts of water. In the US, the average health care facility uses approximately 2-7 times that of another comparable commercial building.
The clinical laboratory contributes significantly to these numbers. The typical lab uses 3-6 times more energy per unit surface area than a typical office building. Instrumentation and ventilation are apparently two of the most energy-intensive components of the laboratory. They also consume a great deal of water and generate both regular and hazardous waste.
Clinical labs should not only be aware of their footprint but take concrete steps to mitigate their impact. The first steps should include reviewing the various materials and practices that could play a role, a process known as an environmental assessment, and then creating awareness among both lab staff and management. Based on these data, the lab can then establish an environmental policy and plan. Sometimes this is referred to as an environmental management system which in some cases precedes the establishment of an environmental policy.
