For ALS, sustainability means making fundamental changes to the way we do things. We know we can deliver an outstanding range of testing services and now we aim to do this in the most ‘environmentally friendly’ possible. ALS are leading the way in the laboratory industry!

ALS delivers UKAS accredited testing services for clients working in the environmental, land remediation and brownfield development industries all across the UK. Our commitment to sustainability is now embedded in our operations and we want to create more value for our clients, for the industries we operate in and at the same time, reduce our environmental footprint.

The main objective of our sustainability strategy is encompassed by the 3-R’S – REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE in every area possible of our company operations.

REDUCE!

ALS’ approach was to look at our internal operations to see where changes were needed. We instantly took action to reduce the amount of water used in our analytical methods which has reduced our water consumption by 694 Kl/year, that is approximately 10% of the sites consumption. We have also installed voltage optimisation systems to reduce our electricity consumption by 12%. Alongside this we are supporting our clients to make responsible decision when ordering consumables and sending samples to be tested so that container wastage is minimised. The ALS team can give you more information about sample container ordering and usage so that you can make a difference too!    

REUSE!

Making further steps to improve on our environmentally friendly operations “our cool boxes have got even cooler” and by this, we mean that ALS have introduced environmentally friendly cool bags for the transportation of client samples. These cool bags have replaced the existing old style plastic cool boxes helping to improve our environmental footprint and logistical performance, utilising a similar design but with the creation of a bespoke interior to better fit with customer sample types. The lifespan of the new cool bags is far greater the old plastic alternative.

RECYCLE! 

We have introduced two new plastic disposal waste streams, one for clear plastic consumables (e.g. petri dishes and test tubes) and another for opaque plastic consumables (e.g. pipette tips, pots and containers). In doing so, we managed to recycle 1700 kg of plastic in December 2019, and in addition to this, we have a newly introduced a new bailer which will facilitate an even greater recycling capacity in the future.

Finally we are... BOXING CLEVER!

A first of its’ kind in the laboratory industry, ALS have introduced the cardboard Eco-Box sample container that is 100% recyclable and biodegradable. Our Hawarden laboratory has lead the innovation across Europe by offering the first available alternative to plastic soil containers in the industry. It is suitable soils analysis including Asbestos ID & Quantification, PFAS, and Top Soil Suite, PSD and leachate preparations. The Eco-Box has been designed with user friendliness in mind to help reduce your time when taking samples and lessens the chance of being exposed to the matter and using the Eco-Box can improve sample integrity.

The introduction of the Eco-Box will reduce the ALS’ plastic consumption by an impressive 2,800kg per annum by removing 60,000 plastic containers from circulation. This project has been rolled out internationally to achieve substantial results on a global scale and we think that this is a real win-win innovation.

We have even more plans in place to drive forward innovative sustainability in the testing industry and we have set some pretty ambitious targets for 2020.  We firmly believe that consistent effort from ALS Environmental really does add up, and from our Local Actions we can have a truly transformational Global Impact.

For more information on ALS Environmental services or our sustainability actions please contact us with the details below.

E: mailto:info.ukenviro@alsglobal.com
T: 01244 528 777