Eco Labs
- Challenge:Plastics Challenge
- Phase:Concept
- Team Lead:Dr Nan Zhang, University College Dublin
- Team Co-Lead:Prof. Wenxin Wang, University College Dublin
- Societal Impact Champion:Dr Michael Gilchrist, MiNAN microfluidic innovation Ltd.

More than 5.5 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually by the world’s bioscience and clinical labs. This is 2% of the total plastic waste, despite the fact that researchers represent a negligible fraction of the world’s population. Incineration of these plastic consumables causes a significant amount of CO2 and noxious emissions and has a detrimental effect on climate change
Develop a new eco-solution for lab consumables using biodegradable polymers suitable for landfill. These will combine sustainable synthesis and precision production of disposable microfluidic lab consumables as a killer application. This technology disruption will eliminate CO2 emissions from incineration and will provide a basis for sustainable, environmentally friendly bioscience/clinical labs.