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With over 25 million samples currently stored at UK Biocentre, maintaining our freezer operations requires significant energy resources. Across our two sites in Milton Keynes and Oxford, we manage 6 Azenta BioArc Flex units, housing approximately 18 million samples, over 250 manual freezers containing around 7.5 million samples, and 120 liquid nitrogen tanks, alongside walk-in freezers ranging from +4°C to -40°C.
Given the energy consumption required to run our operations, we are continually looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact. One of the key initiatives involves servicing all manual freezers annually, which reduces our energy usage by approximately 20%. We also prioritise replacing older units with the most energy-efficient models available on the market. Notably, our BioArc Flex units achieve a 68% reduction in carbon footprint and a 69% decrease in power consumption compared to standard manual freezers.
We utilise a Compaction Container on site, where waste is collected and transported to a Material Recycling Facility. There, materials are separated and recycled whenever possible. The facility we partner with has a 97% consolidated recovery rate, with any surplus directed to Waste-to-Energy processes or converted into Refuse Derived Fuel. We are proud to achieve a 100% diversion from landfill.
We work with our waste provider to ensure a 100% zero waste-to-landfill solution for the offensive waste we manage. This waste is collected from the site and converted into Refuse Derived Fuel, which is then incinerated at advanced Energy Recovery Facilities. This process not only completely diverts offensive waste from landfills but also contributes to generating sufficient base energy to power thousands of homes. Additionally, within our laboratories, we use Biobins to minimise the impact of plastic waste.
As the next step in our journey towards a greener future, we are planning to install solar panels, which will reduce our energy requirements by 40% and lower our carbon footprint by 125 tonnes. We are also exploring the possibility of shifting our liquid nitrogen deliveries from weekly to monthly and increasing the capacity of our tanks to 10,000 litres, which would result in a 75% reduction in the frequency of deliveries.
We are committed to delivering your science in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly manner as we continue to explore renewable options.
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