MilliporeSigma has announced that its ZooMAb Recombinant Monoclonal Antibodies have become the first-ever antibodies to receive an Accountability, Consistency and Transparency (ACT) label from My Green Lab. My Green Lab is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a culture of sustainability in science, and its ACT label program assesses laboratory products based on Environmental Impact Factor (EIF) criteria, including energy and water consumption, shipping impact, product lifetime and packaging content. The ZooMAb recombinant antibodies platform received the lowest EIF scores in My Green Lab’s ACT database: 22.5 for the 4x25µL pack size and 22.4 for single 25µL vials.
The ZooMAb antibodies received the lowest possible EIF score of 1 for manufacturing impact, responsible chemical management, shipping impact, product content and packaging content. The product also received a reduced EIF score due to innovative practices. The recombinant technology used to produce ZooMAb antibodies reduces the use of animals in research and also reduces waste from failed lots due to exceptional batch-to-batch consistency, according to My Green Labs. The ZooMAb antibodies can also be shipped at room temperature before being stored at 2°C and 8°C, reducing their shipping impact.
Additional factors contributing to the product’s low environmental impact include the implementation of energy, water and waste reduction measures at the facility where ZooMAb antibodies are produced and the use of renewable energy from a wind farm. The manufacturing facility has established an environmental management system that is ISO 14001 certified, and the antibody products themselves do not contain any Red List chemicals, CMRs, PBTs or GreenScreen Benchmark-1 chemicals. According to MilliporeSigma, the low weight of the product (about 2.5 g) and the ability to ship at room temperature allows for more opportunities to eventually ship the antibodies in much smaller packaging, which could prevent emission of around 175 metric tons of CO2 per year by 2025.
“Helping our customers and suppliers to reduce their impact on the environment is a key part of our sustainability strategy,” said Jeffrey Whitford, Head of Sustainability and Social Business Innovation at MilliporeSigma. “By showing how products rate in different categories, such as manufacturing; energy and water use; packaging; and end-of-life, the ACT label gives scientists another data point to help increase their sustainability. We are proud to be part of this program and are thrilled to achieve one of the top ranking EIF scores for our ZooMAb® antibodies.”