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Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1997

Environmental Revision in the Public Laboratory Sector

Miljøteknisk revision i den offentlige laboratoriesektor
Miljørapport nr. 371, 1997, Miljøstyrelsen

The project focuses on consumption of energy, water, chemicals, and other raw materials, plus waste products: solid waste, discharge water, and emissions to the air. Furthermore, focus has been on the work environment, especially the indoor climate.

The Department of Forensic Genetics, University of Copenhagen located at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, has been used as model laboratory. The department has a suitable size and seems to be a reasonable representative for a number of similar institutes at universities, institutions of higher education, hospitals, and clinics, plus non-public laboratories of analysis within the private sector, e.g. the medical industry.

For practical reasons, the study has been split up into two phases. A descriptive Phase 1, which aims at describing the processes in progress, and registering the total environmental load from the laboratory. Later, a Phase 2 is to be carried out, a phase, which will include implementation of as many as possible of the suggested changes pointed out in Phase 1. This report includes Phase 1.

The consumption of energy, water, and chemicals is recorded and is being compared with the environmental load with respect to emissions, discharge water, and different kind of solid waste. An account is made of the details concerning buildings and installations, recording energy and water.

The laboratory processes that are carried out are described with special reference to the impact on the environment from the chemicals used and from the consumption of throwaway products. The used chemicals are evaluated toxicologically with reference to a work environment evaluation and to the impact on the outer environment.

Furthermore, some indoor climate measurements have been made, and an occupational medicine study on indoor climate has been implemented, with special reference to the indoor climate.

The report briefly describes the Teilum building, in which the Department of Forensic Genetics is located, as one among several scientific institutes. A description is given of technical installations and a description of the functions of the seven laboratories of clinical immunology located at the institute.

A systematic description of the use of chemicals, energy, and water is made. Waste, discharge water, and emissions are being described.

Indoor climate measurements have been made, with measurements of thermal conditions. An increasing temperature during working hours was found in the PCR laboratory, a strong heat load that could reach an inexpedient 28 degrees centigrade. The emission of heat comes from non-central refrigerating plants.

Measuring of deposited dust in the Enzyme laboratory and in the Blood group laboratory showed unacceptably high values compared to the applying limits for work environment. In the Blood group laboratory dust was found in the form of starch powder. Since starch is not used in this laboratory the finding indicates that infiltration of dust from one lab to another may take place.

Measuring of airborne micro-organisms in the form of bacteria and fungi spores in the Enzyme laboratory showed growth of several bacteria causing sickness, but no growth of fungi. The level of airborne bacteria was found to be acceptable for the working environment, but did not fulfil the demands for clean spaces.

Finally, to map the employees’ health and their own experience of the indoor climate and the working environment, an occupational medicine questionnaire-study was made. All employees participated in the study and answered the questions. The study confirmed that the temperature in the PCR-laboratory was unacceptably high, increasing during the working day.

From this study with the Department of Forensic Genetics, University of Copenhagen, as a test laboratory it is possible to draw some general conclusions that could be used within laboratories of similar and related fields. In spite of many years’ attention to the energy consumption in the Danish society, it is still possible, as shown, to decrease the energy consumption, especially the consumption by refrigerating/freezing plants and by illumination installations.

When designing laboratories it is important to contemplate the indoor climatic conditions, especially disadvantages concerning an increasing temperature during the working day. Generally, it will prove practical to replace radioactive methods with non-radioactive colouring methods, like it has been done at the Department of Forensic Genetics.

A lot of chemicals potentially damaging to the environment are being used at the Department of Forensic Genetics, and in the laboratory sector in general. A model for pointing out the environmentally damaging substances has been drawn up. The toxicity of the substance, allergy inducing effects, and destructive effects on the ozonelayer, acidifying effects, eutrophic effects, photo oxidant forming effects, the frequency of use of the substance and the size of the total annual consumption are included in the model. It is pointed out that screening makes it possible to seek in standard toxicological works and databases for information about the environmentally damaging effects of a majority of chemical substances.

The model lined up shows that at the Department of Forensic Genetics the following substances should be sought replaced for the sake of the outer environment: ammonia, natriumhypochlorit and phenol. Correspondingly, the model shows that further eight substances should be sought replaced for the sake of the work environment.

Author/ institution

Anne Abildgaard, Bascon Arkitekt- og Ingeniørfirma A/S
Hans Ole Hein, Arbejds- og Miljømedicinsk Klinik, Bispebjerg Hospital

ISSN no. 0105-3094
ISBN no. 87-7810-862-4

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