Here at ALS in the UK, our company, like a person, is a collection of many great attributes and values.

We are Resilient.

By identifying risks and non-conformance it increases our resilience to safety and other concerns. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. It is precisely our ability to overcome obstacles and self-belief that brings value to the task-at-hand.

ALS' strategic plan incorporates a sensible approach to ensuring a safer future and a healthier planet, but also to safeguard our business and strengthen its resilience under a range of climate change scenarios. 

This year Darlene, a Hawarden employee, was undertaking training on the analysis of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are manufactured chemicals used in products that resist heat, oil, stains and water. The chemicals have been used around the world in many common household products and specialty applications. As a result, most people living in developed nations have some PFAS in their body.

With her fresh pair of eyes, Darlene noticed that the sample preparation team decanted the sample into a red-topped tube and sent it to another team for the PFAS analysis where the sample would be transferred to a different centrifuge tube and the red-topped tube was discarded. The process was changed to eliminate the extra step.

It was a simple change, but it was identified and, very importantly, followed through to completion. The change resulted in a significant reduction in plastic waste alongside a modest saving in time and money, with no detriment to quality. The process is now cheaper, faster, has less environmental impact and removing the double handling of the sample is a potential small quality improvement.

The annual savings are estimated to be £1500 and 176kg of plastic waste.

To ensure we continue to achieve these values we employ a range of people; from those who are already highly qualified and experienced with formal science based qualifications and laboratory experience, through to those with no specific qualifications or experience other than an interest in furthering their career path within a laboratory environment. With our ongoing training programme there is always opportunity for progression for the right candidate.

All our jobs throughout the UK can be found on the careers area of our website. 

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