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Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1997
Miljøteknisk revision i den offentlige laboratoriesektor
Miljørapport nr. 371, 1997, Miljøstyrelsen
The aim of the project has been to map and analyse the environmental impact from a
model laboratory within the public laboratory sector with the object of producing new
knowledge and information on the potential pollution, which the laboratory sector causes.
At the same time the project aims at increasing the employees attention to the
connection between processes and consumption, the outer environment and the work
environment.
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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