Green Solutions
Welcome to Green Solutions, a suite of sustainable products and services designed to help reduce the environmental impact of your laboratory operations. This includes products with environmentally beneficial characteristics, and ACT Labels to provide environmental product ratings.
The Fisher Scientific channel is taking a leadership role in our industry by partnering with manufacturers who incorporate sustainability principles into their product design, promoting environmental disclosure to EcoVadis and requesting a commitment to setting science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.
This enables you to make more sustainable product choices, and provides new visibility into the brands who demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, helping to build a low-carbon economy.
Greener Choice
Reduce your environmental impact one product at a time.
Striving to protect and preserve the environment and helping you do the same is one of our commitments to you. The Greener Choice Program makes it easy to find lab products that align with your sustainability goals.
Simply look for the 
leaf icon in search results to identify qualifying products.
Look for the Greener Choice icon to identify qualifying products.
How Do Greener Choice Products Qualify?
Greener Choice products meet the following criteria in order to earn this designation:
Offer one or more environmental benefit as itemized in the U.S. FTC “Green Guides"
Have received confirmation that the stated product attributes are environmentally preferable to products within the same category
Have received assurances that the environmental benefit claims remain substantiated over time
Have received a signed Certificate of Compliance from the supplier stating that all environmental claims on the products (or line of products) sold by Thermo Fisher Scientific comply with the requirements of all applicable state and federal laws governing environmental marketing claims
Greener Choice qualifying environmental benefits include:
- Certifications and Seals of Approval
- Compostable
- Degradable
- Energy Star Certification
- Free of a Substance that Causes Environmental Harm
- Non-Toxic
- Ozone-Safe or Safe for the Ozone Layer
- Recyclable
- Recycled Content
- Renewable Energy
- Renewable Materials
- Source Reduction
Identify products with environmental advantages | Greener Choice - part of Green Solutions
Trusted Sustainability Partner Program
Look for the 
green world icon on product pages to find items offered by suppliers that have qualified for our Trusted Sustainability Partner program.
Trusted Sustainability Partners:
- Show dedication to protecting the environment by being accepted into the program that has established rigorous qualification standards
- Have set goals aligned with science and have taken action to help prevent the worst impacts of climate change as outlined by the 2015 Paris Agreement
Learn More About the Trusted Sustainability Partner Program
ACT Labels
When you are looking for sustainable products, we believe it should be easy to make informed purchasing decisions. We're working to provide more information about our products' environmental impact by participating in the ACT Label Program on selected products.
Created by non-profit organisation My Green Lab to help consumers make sustainable product choices, the ACT Label provides environmental Accountability, Consistency, and Transparency for each labelled product through an environmental impact score. The score is based on the product's total impact regarding manufacturing practices, energy and water use, and end-of-life disposal.
The ACT Label can be thought of as an eco-nutritional label for laboratory products large and small. It enables comprehensive product comparisons and is designed to play an important role in helping laboratories reduce their climate impact.
Resources
Products Containing the ACT Label
We are pleased to showcase products now available with ACT Labels. The ACT Label will be available to view in each product page. The selection of products and qualifying manufacturers will be regularly expanded over the coming months. Please click on the featured collections below to find products containing ACT Labels. The product with the lowest Environmental Impact Factor is the most environmentally sensitive choice.
Eco labels for a growing range of products | ACT Labels - part of Green Solutions
Greener Switch
Would you like to know what Greener Choice options are available for the laboratory products you buy, based on your organisation’s purchase history? The new Greener Switch feature will offer alternative product suggestions to help you reduce the environmental impact of your laboratory operations.
Our specialist cross-referencing team can review the items you buy and suggest alternative Greener Choice products. The suggested products will be technically and functionally appropriate and will help you increase the proportion of items in your laboratory that contain environmental advantages compared to other items in the same category.
Great product recommendations based on your priorities | Greener Switch – part of Green Solutions
Six Sustainable Suggestions
Laboratories perform critical scientific testing and research. However, they account for a large amount of energy consumption and waste compared to other commercial buildings. The volume of waste that labs generate from the use of chemicals, reagents, and consumables has an impact on the planet. Furthermore, labs require a sizeable amount of energy.
Click each line below to discover practical suggestions to help make your laboratory more sustainable.
Hazardous Materials- Use safe storage practices – store hazardous materials in designated areas with appropriate labelling, segregation, and containment
- Green chemistry – select less hazardous solvents, reduce/eliminate the use of toxic substances, optimise experiments to reduce waste
- Regulations – stay updated on local and national regulations for hazardous waste management. Follow safe waste disposal procedures
Reducing Waste
- Conduct a waste audit – document the type/quantity of waste generated in the lab. This will help identify focus areas of improvement
- Waste management plan – develop strategies for waste reduction, reuse, recycling and proper disposal. Ask if suppliers offer recycling
- Reuse and repurpose materials – encourage lab staff to find opportunities to reuse or repurpose materials instead of discarding them
Saving Energy
- Equipment upgrade – replace outdated, energy inefficient equipment with energy efficiency models. Look for energy efficient labelling
- Equipment settings – implement power management strategies such as utilizing timers, occupancy sensors and automated shutdown
- Data monitoring – implement energy monitoring systems to track energy usage in real time. Identify energy-intensive processes
Responsible Purchasing
- Waste reduction and recycling – find equipment that supports waste reduction through packaging, transport, materials and recycling
- Extended life – consider choosing products with longer warranties, and that are easier to service and repair, with availability of spares
- Certification and standards – look for laboratory equipment that meets recognized environmental standards and industry certifications
Sustainable Practices
- Shut the sash – a chemical fume hood can use as much energy as 3.5 households. Closing the sash can reduce energy usage by 40%
- Adjust temperature – reducing ultra-low temperature freezers from −80°C to −70°C can reduce their energy consumption by 30–40%
- Install tap aerators – low flow aerators can reduce water from 15L/min to <6L/min. This is an easy and low-cost option to save water
- Turn off equipment – plug load makes up 20% of lab energy consumption. Turn off equipment, computers and lights when not in use
Responsible Suppliers
- Greener Choice program – the Fisher Scientific Greener Choice program enables you to find more sustainable laboratory products
- Trusted Sustainability Partner – this program highlights brands with science-based targets and publicly disclosing their performance
- My Green Lab Ambassador – Thermo Fisher participates in this free online resource promoting lab sustainability, and you can too
Six Sustainable Suggestions | Practical Sustainability Ideas – part of Green Solutions
Paper Cooler
Thermo Fisher Scientific is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of our products through redesigning and minimizing packaging. The new Paper Cooler is a fully recyclable paper-based container for shipping temperature-sensitive products and is an environmentally preferable alternative to expanded polystyrene (EPS) coolers.
- Fully recyclable alongside other paper and corrugated box materials
- Eliminates difficult-to-recycle EPS waste, reducing disposal issues
- Every 10,000 paper coolers removes over 184 m3 of EPS from landfills
- Intended for overnight shipments
Easier on the environment
This 100% paper alternative to EPS coolers has a cardboard framework lined with perforated layers of paper insulation and is fully recyclable in normal paper and corrugated cardboard recycling streams. The EPS alternative is not readily recyclable, accumulates in landfill, and often ends up littering oceans, waterways, and highways.
Proven performance
To date, we have delivered over 1 million shipments using the paper cooler, eliminating approximately 650,000 cubic feet of EPS foam, enough to fill seven Olympic swimming pools. Winner of Gartner’s Social Impact of the Year Award.
Resources
100% recyclable cold shipment boxes | Paper Cooler - part of Green Solutions
Scheduled Shipments
In 2021 the Fisher Scientific channel implemented a revolution in serving science by automating our Edge Program. The Edge icon 
is a visual indicator of our customer promise to “Get Same-Day Dispatch on Some of Our Most Popular Products”. Order any product marked with the Edge icon from any location in Europe before 14:00 local time and we will dispatch the same day. Orders placed after 14:00 will dispatch the next business day.
Rapid shipping remains important to many laboratories. However, we must also consider the requirement for more sustainable shipping. To enable you to reduce your environmental shipping impact, we can now offer consolidated shipments and scheduled shipments as part of Green Solutions. On request, we can consolidate your shipments with alternative routes on certain days for geographical efficiency. We can also agree scheduled shipments by collating your orders and shipping on pre-determined dispatch days, e.g. weekly. For customers with designated dispatch days, Edge items will continue to be dispatched according to this schedule.
Lower environmental impact delivery | Scheduled Shipments – part of Green Solutions
Goals and Performance
Science-based Targets
Science-based Targets are greenhouse gas emission reduction goals that are based on climate science and aligned with the Paris Agreement.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
- 50.4% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030
- 90% of suppliers by spend to set science-based targets by 2027
- Net Zero Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2050
EcoVadis
EcoVadis is a globally recognized assessment platform that rates businesses on their sustainability in four key categories: Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable procurement.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
- View our EcoVadis scorecard in the platform by searching for THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC (GROUP)
- Or request it directly from sustainability@thermofisher.com
CDP
The CDP is an international non-profit group that helps organisations to disclose their environmental impact.
The CDP provide an annual assessment of company performance on environmental action.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Climate Change A-
- Water Security B-
- Supplier Engagement A-
Thermo Fisher Scientific is a responsible supplier, taking a leadership role in our industry to combat the climate crisis.
These targets and performance results demonstrate our commitment to directly support your sustainability goals.
Goals and performance | SBT, EcoVadis and CDP – part of Green Solutions
Recycling Services
TerraCycle Zero Waste Box™
Through the TerraCycle Zero Waste Box™ system, you can recycle many types of lab waste:
- Pipette tip boxes
- Centrifuge tubes and rigid lab plastics
- Synthetic disinfectant wipes
- Disposable gloves
- Disposable garments
- Disposable face masks
- Earplugs
- Protective eyewear
- Mixed safety equipment
- Industrial safety equipment
- Beard nets, earplugs and hair nets
- Disposable gloves and face masks
Choose the waste stream you’d like to recycle, purchase your preferred box size, collect your waste, and send it to TerraCycle to be repurposed (shipping is included).
Availability
Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, UK
Resources
Shop TerraCycleTerraCycle Brochure
Video: How We Recycle
RightCycle™ by Kimberly-Clark Professional™
Turn hard-to-recycle PPE, including gloves and garments into new consumer goods.
With the RightCycle Program, these everyday items get a second life when they are turned into patio furniture, flower pots and planters, plastic shelving, recycling bins, and more.
The RightCycle Program is good for your organization and good for the planet.
Availability
Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK
Resources
RightCycle Brochure
DuPont™ Tyvek™ Garment Recycling
The Tyvek protective apparel recycling program offers the chance to divert garments away from landfill and give them a second life as new products like containers, pallets, and park benches.
Sustainability is at the core of DuPont, reducing operational footprint and creating market-facing sustainable solutions to address global challenges. This program allows you to collect, aggregate and ship used coveralls directly to the recycler, giving you the option to further optimize costs and environmental impact.
Availability
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands (UK coming in 2024)
Resources
Tyvek Recycling BrochureChemical Bottle Returns
In the UK we can deliver laboratory chemicals from our Loughborough site using our own fleet of vehicles and collect empty bottles for recycling in the same journey. All you need to do is clean the bottles, remove the caps, and provide a waste transfer note.
We can recycle 2.5L Winchester and Mauser bottles, plus cardboard packaging displaying the Fisher Scientific logo, inner card packaging, and wooden pallets. We can also provide you with a cage to store up to 300 empty bottles ready for collection.
Bottle recycling is a free service but requires a certain usage to be environmentally and economically viable. Please contact your local Fisher Scientific representative who will be happy to connect you with our transport team.
Availability
UK
Resources
Chemical Bottle Returns FAQWaste Carrier License
Waste Transfer Note
Thermo Scientific™ Pipette Tip Box Recycling
Thermo Scientific™ is working with a UK based recycler to help you to achieve your sustainability goals.
- Simplify the recycling of your Thermo Scientific pipette tip racks and inserts
- Be assured that your recycling is responsibly managed with a trusted, traceable partner
- Measure your recycling performance, annual metrics are available on request
Simply order a recycling box and fill it. Then arrange collection using the email address printed on the box and complete a waste transfer note. Our recycling partner will arrange pick-up within 3-5 days and bring their own shipping label.
Availability
UK
Resources
BrochureWaste Transfer Note
Instructions
Manage your waste from products sourced through the Fisher Scientific channel | Recycling - part of Green Solutions
Greener Webshop
Please use the following links to discover more sustainable Greener Choice items in some of our most popular product categories.
Chemicals
Other Programs - Available Now
Sustainability Program
The Sustainability Program is dedicated to ESG Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance. Read about our plans, recent progress, and transparency in working toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Fisher Scientific Edge
The Fisher Scientific Edge program ensures quick dispatch of our most popular products. Just look for the 
icon to identify items that qualify for same-day dispatch.
New Lab Start-Up
Setting up a new lab? Look no further - our NEW Lab Start-Up program will help you save time and money. Maximise your time and budget while getting the supplies you need.
Every Space
Find essential products for storing and handling your important samples at the right temperatures from refrigerators and freezers to coolers and boxes, we have the cold storage equipment and supplies you need to move your research forward.