Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
A microscopy facility audits two weeks of waste and discovers that 28 kg of slides could be glass-recycled rather than landfilled.
- Is an instance
An institution rolls out a quarterly mini-audit programme using a one-page tally sheet.
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
A general office paper-recycling weigh-in is not a lab audit.
- Not an instance
An automated dustbin sensor without categorisation does not produce audit-grade data.
Editorial commentary
A lab waste audit typically runs for one to four weeks and involves segregating, weighing, and photographing each waste stream (general, recyclable, hazardous, sharps, biological, electronic). Results are benchmarked against peer labs and converted to estimated annual mass and carbon. Audits are an entry-level activity in LEAF Bronze and produce a baseline that supports targeted intervention (e.g., switching a specific reagent that contributes 40 percent of hazardous waste mass). Audits are usually repeated annually to track progress.
References
- LEAF Bronze criteria; My Green Lab Waste module.
Also known as
Laboratory waste audit · Waste characterisation (lab)
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
<role vocab="credit"
vocab-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/"
vocab-term="Lab waste audit"
vocab-term-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/lab-waste-audit" />{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "DefinedTerm",
"name": "Lab waste audit",
"identifier": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/lab-waste-audit",
"description": "A structured exercise in which a laboratory measures and categorises the volume, type, and disposal route of waste generated over a defined period to identify reduction, re-use, and recycling opportunities.",
"inDefinedTermSet": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/domain/sustainable-research-and-laboratory-operations/",
"url": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/lab-waste-audit",
"sameAs": [
"Laboratory waste audit",
"Waste characterisation (lab)"
],
"license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}
