At Roche, achieving true sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. We strive to strike a harmonious balance between delivering highly innovative and qualitative products and services to our customers, while also being mindful of the environmental impact this might have.
In healthcare, the use of disposable materials is widely recognized as the most reliable approach in guaranteeing quality and safety for both patients and employees. Within the clinical lab setting, this translates to the need for obtaining highly accurate results while minimizing any risk of contamination between patient samples. Acknowledging this, Roche also recognizes the need to reduce our environmental impact and explore innovative solutions. Therefore we are thrilled to introduce, in collaboration with Veolia and Enadvis, our pilot project to recycle high-quality plastic trays.
These trays are made out of high-quality plastics and hold pipet tips and cups in which chemical reactions take place. In the past, these holders would have been discarded, but now we have found a way to give them a new life. - Nick Sablon, Roche Diagnostics
The recycling journey starts in the lab. The university hospital laboratory of LHUB-ULB is one of our customers who participates in the pilot project. Also for them, making their laboratory practices more sustainable is a top priority. The holders are collected at the lab and picked up by Veolia, a leading waste management company, for transport to the Day Support Center Ons Tehuis Brabant vzw (O.T.B.) . Ann Van Den Bosch from Enadvis, initiator of the pilot project, explains the reason for this stopover: “The trays can still contain pipet tips. These must be removed because they are not recyclable together with the trays. This is done by the O.T.B. staff."
For them, this work is not just about recycling; it is a form of mindfulness, and they take pride in the end result they help to achieve. - Rudolf Luytens, Ons Tehuis Brabant vzw
Finally, the plastic trays are processed into high-quality granules at the recycling facility of Veolia.
We reduce our carbon footprint twice, because the plastics are no longer combused and the granules can be reprocessed into new trays. - says Vicky Daeninck, Veolia
Implementing recycling projects requires collaboration across the entire lifecycle of the product. Each stakeholder represents a crucial role: from manufacturer to the users, waste management companies and policy makers. Join us on this journey towards a sustainable, balanced future.
