Please feel free to download any information from our web site for future reference.
Environmental
and Social Responsibilty Statement
At Novalab we take our responsibilities seriously. From our
product choices through to our working practices, we endeavour
to reduce our environmental and social impact not only through
sustainability and clean indoor air initiatives, but also
through choice of supply partners and country of origin.
Clean Indoor Air
It is now well established that many of the products and
finishes used in the construction industry add potentially toxic
vapours to the indoor environment. These vapours included
volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde, which is now
classed as a probable human carcinogen.
Novalab Resistop is GreenGuard certified in the USA and has
passed the stringent GreenGuard institute tests to assure end
users that the product reduces the levels of harmful
formaldehyde and volatile organics vapours, meaning cleaner
indoor air.
Novalab Duratop is manufactured using products and processes
that are generally recognised as reducing the free levels of
organics and formaldehyde in indoor air.
Sustainability
Resistop
Novalab Resistop is manufactured by a recognised world leading
manufacturer. Resistop sheets contain a minimum of 20%
recovered materials by weight and only use certified renewable
forest products. They contain no heavy metals, rain forest
timbers or tropical hardwoods.
Product Brochures
We recognise that the printing, shipping and posting of
brochures and product information also carries an environmental
cost. For this reason we have tried, as far as possible, to move
to a web based information system. All the product details you
require should be available through this web site. Where PDF
brochures are available, we only ask that you consider the
environment before printing. Please feel free to email us with
your feedback.
Imported Products
Where possible, we look to use locally manufactured products and
services. However, it is not always possible to provide
appropriate products from local manufacturers or providers,
particularly for the demands of laboratories. In these cases we
look to minimise our environmental impact by considering some of
the following.
- We do not use products from sources and countries that are recognised for their gross negligence when it comes to the environment. Whilst many of these products are attractive because of their cost, we consider the environmental price to be too high.
- We do not source products from countries that are recognised for worker exploitation, suppression of human rights or payment of subsistence wages.
- We source from responsible manufacturers in countries such as Canada, Spain and the U.K. One of our suppliers in particular, Cruma who supply our ductless fume cupboards, donate 1% of its total annual sales to environmental organisations around the world as part of the 1% for the planet network.
- Consolidation of freight
- Most efficient transport options.
- Optimum shipping quantities.
- Appropriate materials for particular applications thereby increasing product life and reducing waste.
- Working with companies that recognise their environmental impact and take active steps to reduce it.
- Use of more environmentally friendly products i.e. we source laboratory tapware with a chemical resistant polyamide coating. Not only does this stand up to laboratory chemicals better than chrome plating, it has far less impact than the toxic and know cancer causing hexavalent chrome used in the plating process.
- Encourage other suppliers to take their responsibilities seriously and work with us towards a sustainable future.
