From Pilot to Practice: Advancing Lab Plastic Recycling at Boston Children’s Hospital
Building a Sustainable Future for Research Labs
At Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH), sustainability in research is not just about reducing waste—it’s about strengthening how we operate as a scientific community.
Over the past two years, the BCH Green Labs program has focused on one of the most pressing challenges in laboratory sustainability: single-use plastic waste in research labs. What started as a small pilot—made possible by the philanthropic support of Cell Signaling Technology (CST)—has grown into an enterprise-wide initiative and, more importantly, a cultural shift.
Scaling Lab Plastic Recycling Across BCH
To date, BCH labs have recycled over 10,000 pounds of rigid lab plastics, including pipette tip boxes and media bottles. These materials, once destined for landfill, are now being collected, processed, and reintroduced into the supply chain through our partnership with Polycarbin.
This progress reflects a broader commitment to lab plastic recycling, sustainable lab practices, and circular economy solutions in healthcare research. It also highlights the importance of early investment—CST’s philanthropic support helped bring this system to life and scale it across the BCH research enterprise.
As a founding partner in our sustainable laboratory efforts at BCH, CST played a critical role in enabling us to pilot, prove, and expand a program that our research community has fully embraced.
Driving a Culture Shift in Sustainable Labs
Beyond the numbers, the most meaningful impact has been cultural.
Labs across BCH are not only participating in recycling programs—they are actively seeking new ways to reduce waste and improve sustainability. This momentum, sparked by the success of the initial CST-supported program, has led to the expansion of additional initiatives, including:
Recycling of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)
Reuse of lab materials previously considered non-recyclable
Increased engagement in sustainability efforts across research teams
This shift demonstrates that sustainability in laboratories is no longer a standalone program—it is becoming embedded in research operations.
Closing the Loop: Circular Economy in Research Labs
While recycling is a critical first step, BCH is now advancing toward a more comprehensive goal: a circular economy for lab plastics.
Building on the foundation established through this program, BCH is beginning to integrate sustainable procurement practices, prioritizing products made from recycled lab materials. This approach helps close the loop by reducing reliance on virgin fossil-based resources and supporting a more sustainable supply chain.
A circular lab system includes:
Collection → Processing → Remanufacturing → Reuse
This model not only reduces environmental impact but also strengthens the long-term sustainability of scientific research.
Sustainability and the BCH Mission
At BCH, sustainability is directly tied to our mission.
By reducing waste and advancing circular solutions in research labs, we are not only improving operational efficiency—we are helping ensure a healthier environment for the children we serve, both today and in the future.
If we can continue to advance science while protecting the world our patients will grow up in, then we are truly fulfilling our mission: Until every child is well.
A Partnership Driving Change
This work would not be possible without strong partnerships.
We are deeply grateful to Cell Signaling Technology for helping spark and sustain this transformation. Their support has enabled BCH to move from pilot to practice, building a scalable model for sustainable laboratory operations that can be shared across the healthcare and research community.
The Future of Sustainable Science
This work is far from finished—but the foundation is strong.
And it’s being built together.
The future of sustainable science and green labs isn’t theoretical—it’s already happening here at Boston Children’s Hospital.