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The scientific industry faces the double-edged sword of balancing cutting-edge scientific research with sustainability targets. Improving sustainability has become a driving force for innovation, with the industry making significant strides towards more eco-friendly practices while continuing to advance scientific research.
A number of companies, including Agilent Technologies, are developing new, more sustainable products for everyday laboratory practice. Agilent is also looking to optimize resources already in use, with established programs focusing on limiting waste and encouraging the refurbishment and reuse of analytical instrumentation.
Technology Networks recently spoke to Aimee Whaley, associate vice president and general manager of Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Instruments at Agilent, to learn more about how Agilent is improving sustainability via their CPO and Trade-In and Buyback (TIBB) programs.
Isabel Ely, PhD (IE):
Science Writer
Technology Networks
Isabel joined Technology Networks in June 2024 as a Science Writer and Editor after completing her PhD in human physiology from the University of Nottingham. Her research focused on the importance of dietary protein and exercise in maximizing muscle health in advancing age. She also holds a BSc in exercise and sport sciences from the University of Exeter and an MRes in medicine and health from the University of Nottingham.
The topic of sustainability continues to be at the forefront of global conversations. What do you believe to be the biggest challenges scientific companies and laboratories face when tackling sustainability?
Aimee Whaley (AW):
Aimee Whaley is the associate vice president and general manager of Certified Pre-Owned Instruments at Agilent Technologies.
The challenges lie in managing resource consumption, reducing waste, and extending the lifecycle of laboratory instruments without compromising research quality or progress in fields critical to human health and well-being.
Our customers are developing life-saving medications, testing water and soil health, ensuring food safety and so much more. At the same time, work in the laboratory is inherently prone to waste – from solvent usage, pipette tips and nitrile gloves – and energy-consuming instrumentation sometimes running 24/7.
Science Writer
Technology Networks
Isabel joined Technology Networks in June 2024 as a Science Writer and Editor after completing her PhD in human physiology from the University of Nottingham. Her research focused on the importance of dietary protein and exercise in maximizing muscle health in advancing age. She also holds a BSc in exercise and sport sciences from the University of Exeter and an MRes in medicine and health from the University of Nottingham.
How do Agilent’s CPO and TIBB programs work? What makes these programs unique and how do they promote sustainability?
AW:
Aimee Whaley is the associate vice president and general manager of Certified Pre-Owned Instruments at Agilent Technologies.
The TIBB program allows customers and Agilent to play in the circular economy. Agilent provides credit towards a new instrument purchase or cash to laboratories for their used instrumentation. We cover the end-to-end logistics, offering a hassle-free, cost-free and sustainable option to dispose of underutilized or older lab equipment (see graphic 1).
Graphic 1: Agilent Instrument Trade-in and Buyback process.
Once instruments make it back to us, they are refurbished by Agilent technicians to the same specifications as when they were new. Anything that has touched a sample is replaced or thoroughly cleaned and sonicated to remove any risk of contamination. Oftentimes, we even replace the covers, so they not only perform like new but look like new instruments, too. Every CPO instrument comes with the most updated compatible software and firmware, start-up consumables and a full 12-month manufacturer’s warranty. We then resell the refurbished instrumentation at a reduced cost, extending its usable life, significantly delaying the timelines for recycling or scrapping and helping other labs affordably acquire the instrumentation they need.
Currently, the Agilent CPO instrument portfolio consists of over 200 instrument models and grows every year. We like to say whether you are purchasing a new or CPO instrument from Agilent, you know you are making a sustainable choice because that instrument will have a second life and contribute towards a more circular economy for lab instrumentation.
IE:
Science Writer
Technology Networks
Isabel joined Technology Networks in June 2024 as a Science Writer and Editor after completing her PhD in human physiology from the University of Nottingham. Her research focused on the importance of dietary protein and exercise in maximizing muscle health in advancing age. She also holds a BSc in exercise and sport sciences from the University of Exeter and an MRes in medicine and health from the University of Nottingham.
Can you provide some statistics on the number of instruments refurbished, prevented from going to landfill or recycled via the CPO and TIBB programs?
AW:
Aimee Whaley is the associate vice president and general manager of Certified Pre-Owned Instruments at Agilent Technologies.
From 2021 to 2023, Agilent refurbished over 14,000 instruments and used 2,700 more legacy instruments for parts harvesting, enabling our service teams to maintain older instruments at customer sites. Non-reusable parts are recycled. Additionally, over 10,300 instruments were returned through the TIBB program.
IE:
Science Writer
Technology Networks
Isabel joined Technology Networks in June 2024 as a Science Writer and Editor after completing her PhD in human physiology from the University of Nottingham. Her research focused on the importance of dietary protein and exercise in maximizing muscle health in advancing age. She also holds a BSc in exercise and sport sciences from the University of Exeter and an MRes in medicine and health from the University of Nottingham.
Do your laboratory customers have sustainability plans/goals in place? What should they consider when evaluating sustainability programs?
AW:
Aimee Whaley is the associate vice president and general manager of Certified Pre-Owned Instruments at Agilent Technologies.
A survey deployed by Frost & Sullivan revealed that
82% of labs surveyed have already adopted and are using sustainability metrics to help achieve their goals. Many are already implementing actions to reduce their environmental footprint, such as reducing carbon and global greenhouse emissions, optimizing water and energy consumption and improving waste management techniques.
Actions that more labs could adopt are around improving lab efficiency, optimizing resources or focusing on sustainable procurement practices.
Science Writer
Technology Networks
Isabel joined Technology Networks in June 2024 as a Science Writer and Editor after completing her PhD in human physiology from the University of Nottingham. Her research focused on the importance of dietary protein and exercise in maximizing muscle health in advancing age. She also holds a BSc in exercise and sport sciences from the University of Exeter and an MRes in medicine and health from the University of Nottingham.
In addition to the CPO and TIBB programs, what else is Agilent doing to further tackle the issues of sustainability in laboratories, both within the company and assisting others?
AW:
Aimee Whaley is the associate vice president and general manager of Certified Pre-Owned Instruments at Agilent Technologies.
Agilent aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. By 2030, the company plans to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% and Scope 3 emissions by at least 30%, based on 2019 levels. You can find the full Agilent 2023 ESG Report
here.
Further, Agilent is being recognized as a leader in sustainability. For 7 consecutive years, we have been named one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World and has ranked in the top 3 of Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies for 3 consecutive years.
For our customers, Agilent can aid in reducing Scope 3 emissions through initiatives like greener product packaging, expanding My Green Lab ACT-labelled products, and implementing asset monitoring technology to help manage lab resources more efficiently, contributing to a reduction in non-renewable resource consumption and waste.
Aimee Whaley was speaking to Dr. Isabel Ely, Science Writer for Technology Networks.
