Over the last couple of years, the department has made a name for itself for a number of environmentally friendly initiatives, raising awareness among staff and helping to reduce the university’s environmental footprint. These have included the Energy Saving Challenge and the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) Challenge.

Inclusion and motivation

The RRR challenge, which ran for three months in the autumn 2023, involved 11 research teams – almost half of those in the department. The challenge was designed to ensure the maximum reuse and recycling, with the maximum efficiency, of laboratory equipment, reagents and intermediate and residual products generated so as to reduce the amount of waste generated by the department in the course of its instruction, research and business collaborations.

A clever trick was employed to motivate staff: the challenge took the form of a competition. Every research group or team was eligible to sign up, and prizes were awarded to those which introduced the best practices. Whereas eight research teams took part in the first challenge, a total of 11 – representing more than half of the department’s staff – signed up for the second challenge. “I think the competitive element motivated everyone, but the themes of the challenge clearly spoke to them as well, given how much enthusiasm there was and how many exciting and useful ideas emerged,” said Pirjo Spuul, the director of the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology. “It wasn’t mandatory to get involved, so everyone who did was highly motivated and infected others with their enthusiasm.”

The challenge resulted in a raft of positive changes: 

• Interdisciplinary cooperation and better communication between research groups to share successful practices for reducing waste and to guarantee sustainability by sharing equipment and chemicals
• Reuse of dry ice: Whereas prior to the challenge a number of research teams had regularly purchased dry ice, in the course of the challenge it emerged that many shipments arrive on dry ice, and by sharing them the department created a stock for everyone to use.
• A new water-saving test-tube washing system was developed in the Metalloproteomics Lab.
• Use of fabric towels rather than paper towels
• If paper towels are used, the sheets are cut into smaller pieces in a number of laboratories so as to use less paper.
• The department bought a washing machine for all staff to use to wash their towels and lab coats. Previously, all lab coats were sent for washing in laundries, creating additional financial cost.
• The covers from old thesis books were used as counting trays for Petri dishes (dishes for growing bacteria) in microbiology lab.
• Research teams have acquired 3D printers in order to print lab accessories such as test tube holders and adapters. Biodegradable plastics are used to ensure sustainability, and on-site production reduces transport needs, thus limiting CO2 emissions. 

For more information on the department’s Energy Saving Challenge from 2022, see Mari Öö Sarve’s article ‘The challenge which brought 15% energy savings for the department’.

Director Pirjo Spuul says that both the Energy Saving Challenge and the RRR Challenge have become part of the department’s day-to-day work, and that greener and more sustainable practices are being implemented not only by the participants, but also other staff members. “It was particularly gratifying to see lecturers take part in the challenge as well and introduce changes in their practical courses,” she added.

The department is planning a new challenge for the autumn, the theme of which will be announced in late summer.

The Centre of Climate Smart Future encourages everyone to follow the example of the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology in organising their own green challenges. When planning such a challenge, check out TalTech’s new green guidelines.