Green Labs Program
Green Labs Program
The goal of the Green Labs Program at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is to create a culture of sustainability in the research institute community by bringing awareness to the environmental impacts of a lab, creating and sharing best practices to support green lab projects/goals, and to explore ways to reduce the environmental impact of our research.
The Green Labs team set up an informational display at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC's Spring Festival on April 28.
Styrofoam Challenge Success
In our "Be Green for Saint Patrick's Day" challenge, we collected two and a half pallets of unneeded styrofoam coolers and packaging, reducing lab clutter and, more importantly, keeping it out of landfills, where it can take half a century to break down. The styrofoam will be taken to Atlas Molded Products in Ridgeway, Virginia, for processing and re-use.
As of June, we have recycled 355 styrofoam coolers!
Watch for other collection events, but take advantage of permanent styrofoam collection points in the dock areas of Riverside 2 and Riverside 4.
Trex Challenge: Nearly 200 Pounds of Plastic Waste Collected
Trex uses salvaged plastic films to make decking material and outdoor furniture. Our efforts into June 2022 saved 184 pounds of this plastic waste from the landfill: produce bags, grocery bags, ice bags, clean Ziploc and other storage bags, case overwrap, bread bags, newspaper sleeves, bubble wrap, and plastic e-commerce mail envelopes. If we can collect 500 pounds over the next six months, we will win a free outdoor bench.
Trex Collection Box Locations
Riverside 2
- 1st floor, across the hall from the Conference room
- 2nd floor, by the Smyth / Srivastava lab entrance, R2068
- 3rd floor, just inside the double doors to the wet lab
- Loading dock
Riverside 4
- 2nd floor, in the area between the kitchen and wet lab (2 boxes)
- Loading dock