Laboratories are essential hubs for scientific research, but they are also major producers of hazardous waste. Traditional sink disposal practices, especially for chemicals and biological agents, often fail to account for the complexity of lab waste. At RCSI, the Green Sink project is redefining how labs address this challenge.
Rooted in student-staff collaboration through the RCSI Student Engagement and Partnership (StEP) programme, Green Sink is improving safety, traceability and sustainability in laboratory waste disposal, while empowering our students to co-lead institutional change.
The problem beneath the surface
Chemical waste disposal in research environments is often more complex than it appears. Many researchers and students, report uncertainty when it comes to correctly identifying and separating waste streams.
With overlapping categories, evolving safety guidelines and a lack of consistent signage, this uncertainty can result in overly cautious practices, such as disposing of relatively benign substances in specialist or hazardous waste containers.
This contributes to multiple unnecessary waste streams, often with small volumes of incorrectly classified material, significantly increasing the cost and carbon footprint of waste collection and processing.
A structured solution
In response, the Green Sink project introduced a bespoke poster campaign tailored to the specific needs of each laboratory environment.
Positioned at key sink locations, the posters clearly outline what can be safely disposed of in that sink and what must be collected separately. Messaging is adapted for the research conducted in that space, reducing confusion and helping researchers make confident decisions.
Co-designed with technical staff, researchers and students, the system balances clarity and practicality – ensuring compliance while supporting efficient day-to-day activity.
The project team also worked closely with the RCSI Dangerous Goods Safety Advisors (DGSAs) and Estates team to integrate the system into inductions and onboarding processes. This approach supports RCSI’s environmental stewardship goals and complements existing efforts aligned with the My Green Lab certification.
Already, Green Sink has reduced sink misuse, created clearer disposal routes and lowered the incidence of misclassified or unlabelled waste, showing how simple, lab-specific interventions can deliver measurable progress.
The initiative will be used as a scalable model to strengthen safety, compliance and education on sustainable laboratory operations, aligning strongly with several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
RCSI is committed to achieving a better and more sustainable future through the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
