Lab Innovations

Lab Innovations, the UK’s only trade show dedicated to the laboratory industry, will have a new focus this year on the increasingly important aspect of the 'Sustainable Laboratory'. Taking place on 31 October & 1 November 2018 at the NEC, Birmingham, Lab Innovations attendees can visit the new Sustainable Laboratory area to see and discuss the latest developments in environmentally-friendly products. The sustainable initiatives theme is also a core topic running through the agendas in both the Royal Society of Chemistry theatre and the 'Insights and Innovations' theatre run by Laboratory News.

Why is lab sustainability so important? “In a nutshell, if every lab achieved more sustainable practices, in the UK alone we’d be saving hundreds of millions in costs every year. Funding would go further, research could grow and our impact upon the environment would be reduced,” explains Andy Evans, Green Light Laboratories, who is overseeing the new Sustainable Laboratory area. “Any organisation can easily improve their lab sustainability. At the exciting new area, visitors to Lab Innovations 2018 will be shown how improvements in technology, procurement and best practice can reduce running costs whilst safeguarding the science.”

Attendees will be met by a line-up of over 135 leading suppliers showcasing their latest products, services and innovative new technologies. Every year 100's of products are launched at lab innovations offering you the opportunity to get first access to cutting edge solutions.

The event is complemented by a free-to-attend programme of inspiring seminars, engaging show features and numerous networking opportunities, with well-known science commentators Maggie Philbin and Steve Mould headlining the Royal Society of Chemistry theatre.

Tomorrow’s World’s Maggie Philbin will greet audiences on day one of the event, talking about why we should be inspiring the next generation, while I never knew that about Britain’s Steve Mould will entertain us on day two with his anecdotal session 'What it means to be a nerd'. Places will be limited for these two sessions, so ensure you get there early to secure your seat!

‘Reduce, reuse and recycle’ is regularly repeated advice to people to reduce their impact on the environment, but the methods to reuse and recycle things are not always clear. To give just one example, although modern electronic waste contains a wealth of precious metals, recovering it is sadly not yet economically feasible. Day two of the Lab Innovations 2018 conference in the Royal Society of Chemistry theatre will focus on the environment. Here speakers from Tradebe toxic waste disposal and Bio Bean Biochemistry will talk about their approaches to help reuse, recycle, or at least safely dispose of waste.

Visitors to the main exhibition will also discover new environmentally-friendly products and examples of sustainable techniques on exhibitor stands. For example, labs can use a colossal amount of energy - three to five times more than an equivalent office space, so manufacturers have been working hard to develop equipment that uses less electricity and is more environment friendly. One area involves use of LED lighting instead of fluorescent lighting inside plant growth & stability cabinets. As an example of success in this field, on stand J12, Alphatech will be demonstrating an Aralab FitoClima 600PLH plant growth/stability/photostability chamber featuring LED lights, which reduce electricity use by 40%-60% compared to conventional fluorescent lighting.

“By working closely with our scientific advisory board, exhibitors and other industry experts, Lab Innovations 2018 will give visitors a well-rounded overview of the possibilities and opportunities of sustainable lab practices and environmentally-friendly products,” said Alison Willis, Divisional Director, Lab Innovations. “Any laboratory can make significant savings. Come to Lab Innovations 2018 to find out from the experts how you can make your lab ‘greener’ and save money too.”

For free advance visitor registration for Lab Innovations 2018, click ‘Register Now’ on the Lab innovations home page – www.lab-innovations.com