Sustainability gold for cancer research laboratory

A cancer research laboratory based at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) is leading the way in sustainable science.

The Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) laboratory has reached the highest level of sustainability accreditation.

The Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) is a national framework. It is designed to improve sustainability in laboratories.

The ECMC is a University of Southampton laboratory located within the hospital. It is the first Faculty of Medicine laboratory to reach Gold level accreditation.

Increasingly important

LEAF accreditation is becoming increasingly important across the research sector.

The award recognises changes the laboratory team have made to reduce their impact on the environment.

“There are now requirements linked to funding,” explains Alex Stote, Clinical Trials Laboratory Technician.

“For example, Cancer Research UK expects laboratories to meet certain LEAF standards, so it’s becoming part of how research is assessed and supported.”

Building on strong foundations

For the ECMC, the journey began from an already strong foundation. The team mainly supports early phase clinical trials, with a growing focus on early cancer detection.

As a clinical trials laboratory, the team adheres to strict regulatory standards. These include Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).

“These standards meant we already had many processes in place,” says Alex. “Things like equipment servicing, sample tracking systems, and robust lab management aligned well with LEAF’s Bronze level requirements.”

From there, the focus shifted to targeted improvements. Early changes included introducing recycling facilities and decluttering spaces. They also improved freezer efficiency through regular de-icing. These simple steps had a measurable impact on energy use.

Moving to Silver

The lab then progressed to Silver accreditation. This involved reducing waste, and embedding sustainable behaviours into everyday practice.

“We looked at everything, from how we order consumables to how we use equipment,” Alex explains.

“For example, we reduced unnecessary packaging by ordering items without plastic holders, and we repurposed unused or broken equipment by donating it to other organisations.”

Old pipettes were passed on to schools for teaching purposes. Unused laboratory equipment was shared with other research groups.

The team also introduced regular meetings. At these, they reviewed their practices and identified further opportunities to improve.

Reaching Gold

Gold accreditation brought a new level of challenge. It required more complex changes and collaboration beyond the lab itself.

One key achievement was the safe disposal of long-unused chemicals. Some of these had been in storage since 2015. Working with specialist services, the team ensured these materials were handled and removed appropriately.

The lab also expanded its recycling efforts. This included reusing plastic materials and returning tip boxes for reuse. They also reduced their use of solvents and improved waste management.

“We used a power meter to measure energy usage at the start and end of the process,” says Alex. “One of the things we discovered was that an old fridge from the 1990s was using ten times more energy than a newer model.”

Leading by example

The ECMC’s achievement shows how incremental improvements, informed by data and supported by collaboration, can lead to meaningful change.

Just as importantly, the framework helps embed a culture of sustainability for future researchers.

“This was very much a team effort,” says Alex. “A lot of small changes added up to something significant.”

“It’s about creating habits,” he adds. “If people join a lab where these practices are the norm, they carry that mindset forward – thinking about how to reduce waste, how to make better purchasing decisions, and how to work more sustainably.”