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.
Download this exclusive infographic to understand the lifecycle of lab balances, how different phases can influence environmental impact, and the specifications and features that raise the bar in usability, flexibility, and eco-conscience design.
LM-Sartortius Balances Infographic
Preparing for the Future with Sustainable Lab Balances
Minimize the Environmental Impacts of Analytical Balances
Lab balances are an essential piece of laboratory infrastructure, required for a myriad of analytics. From highly regulated pharmaceutical labs to R&D institutions, balances must be adaptable to suit the wide range of environments they are needed for.
However, with an increased focus on sustainable, environmentally conscious manufacture and design, balances must be up to the task of meeting all of the needs and goals of today's evolving laboratory environment. From initial sourcing of materials to acquisition of new equipment in the lab, the environmental costs of equipment production add up throughout the life cycle.
Lab Balances Must Satisfy Several Needs
Usability: They should be easy to use, with...
High resolution, easy-to-read displays
Easy and intuitive instrument operation capabilities
Automated stability and a high level of weighing accuracy for routine use without daily manual recalibration, adjustment, or leveling
Sustainability: They should be...
Manufactured, shipped, and used in an environmental responsible, sustainable manner
Constructed of materials produced by a GMP sourcing partner
Produced in an environmentally conscious way in every step of the production pipeline
Flexibility: They must be adaptable and...
Able to fit with future infrastructure
Adjustable for a wide variety of lab infrastructure layouts
Contain digitization options to reduce paper, eliminate manual data entry, and reduce the likelihood of data falsification and transfer errors
Have different application programs and language options
Eliminate a typical barrier to global implementation of universal equipment
Ensuring the environmental integrity of lab equipment begins well before the balance arrives at the laboratory. Prior to receiving their balance, end-users must be confident that each stage of the process from raw material sourcing to delivery aligns seamlessly with their sustainability objectives.
Sourcing of Materials
Are materials recycled plastic, glass, etc., or sustainability sourced?
Does the supplier adhere to GMP during materials manufacturing?
Shipping
Are balances packed efficiently to minimize unnecessary space?
Have steps been taken to minimize excessive packaging? Is transport done with eco-friendly means of transportation with efficient pallet organization to maximize space?
Balance Use in the Lab
Does the balance have sleep mode or standby power-down options?
Does the balance have dimming functions and other energy- reducing features?
Careful examination of features and asking questions about the impacts of your lab balance can prevent unnecessary resource expenditure.
The Life of a Lab Balance
Beginning with raw materials such as plastic and glass, a GMP manufacturer begins sourcing materials to make the balance. The raw materials are shipped to a manufacturing facility, where the balances are made according to customer specifications.
The finished balances are then packaged and shipped on pallets.
Balances are purchased and used for the duration of their lifetime.
Quintix® Pro
Redefining the Standard
Quintix® Pro Laboratory Balances deliver the performance you need, with added premium features that raise the bar in usability, flexibility, and eco-conscience design.
Use Phase
End of Life
Raw Materials
Production | Manufacturing
Product Design
Distribution
Packaging
Raw Materials
The Quintix® Pro line utilizes aluminum with a substantial recycled content sourced within Europe, reducing its carbon footprint. Prioritizing sourced recycled materials further diminishes the environmental impact. With 20% recycled content in high-volume parts like the carrier plate, the Quintix® Pro conserves resources and supports the circular economy.
Distribution
Quintix® Pro balances reach their destinations through optimized distribution channels, favoring sea transport over air to enhance
environmental efficiency. Strategic distribution hubs and consolidated shipments further reduce the carbon footprint. This logistical approach ensures timely delivery and demonstrates a commitment to sustainable transportation practices.
Product Design
Energy efficiency is a key design principle of the Quintix® Pro, featuring low power electronics and intelligent backlighting that dims to save energy and extend product life. The deepstandby mode cuts energy use by more than half for an average 8-hour, 5-day-a-week operation. It
also features a digitized and integrated manual, and operation instructions into the Quintix® Pro user interface, reducing the printed version by 30% to lessen the environmental impact.
End of Life
As a Quintix® Pro balance nears the end of its usable life, its design facilitates easy disassembly for recycling. Lack of restrictive
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technologies, like adhesives, simplifies the recycling process. This design philosophy is consistent with the goal of creating products with their end-of- life disposal in mind.
Production
At the heart of Quintix® Pro production is the Göttingen, Germany facility, where a significant portion of the Quintix® Pro family is manufactured using 100% renewable electricity. This design also boasts a 91% recycling
rate and is on track for zerowaste production by 2030. Every piece of aluminum scrap is recycled, ensuring full material utilization.
Packaging
Protective bags for Quintix® Pro balances are made from 80% post- consumer recycled material, the cardboard boxes contain 60% to 100% recycled material, and for the Quintix® Pro with draft shield, the recycled content in packaging has been increased to over 70%. Most packaging materials are also labeled with recycling codes to streamline the recycling process.
Use Phase
The balance is designed with replaceable and repairable parts, promoting longevity and reducing the need for frequent replacements. The Sartorius service model includes a network of local service hubs close to customers, reducing the need for extensive logistics and further cutting the overall carbon footprint.