Addition Therapeutics' Lab Waste Diversion Success

Addition Therapeutics, a pioneering genetic medicine company, is committed to sustainable lab practices. Alarmed by the devastating impact of fossil fuel consumption on our planet, their team sought innovative solutions to minimize their environmental footprint. By partnering with Polycarbin, Addition Therapeutics has diverted significant waste and CO2 emissions while fostering a culture of sustainability in the lab. 

Challenge 

Like many laboratories, Addition Therapeutics grappled with a heavy reliance on single-use plastics and the waste that comes with them. Scientific innovation depends on single-use plastics, which are essential tools that enable groundbreaking research, protect sample integrity, and drive medical breakthroughs that help people live healthier lives. 

Yet, this reliance comes at an environmental cost. The biotech and pharmaceutical industries generate more than 200 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, with 40% of those emissions stemming from the production and disposal of single-use items like gloves, PPE, and pipette tip boxes. 

For the team at Addition Therapeutics, that environmental cost was too high. “It was frustrating to see so many single-use items being thrown away,” said Sonia Jaidka, the Lab Manager at Addition Therapeutics. “I knew from my previous role as a Research Associate that bench-top trash containers are emptied multiple times daily. We had to do better.”

Before Addition Therapeutics began working with Polycarbin, their non-hazardous, non-infectious lab plastics were either discarded in the regular trash or mistakenly placed in biohazard bins, leading to unnecessary waste processing. 

Shifting guidelines further complicated their efforts to recycle hard plastics, such as pipette tip boxes, and eventually required them to be sent to landfills. Sonia recognized that the status quo wasn’t sustainable and change was necessary.

Solution 

Upon discovering Polycarbin, Addition Therapeutics found a partner that could provide a circular economy for lab plastics using a data-driven, evidence-based approach. Polycarbin’s brand-agnostic, Closed-Loop platform ensures that lab plastics are remanufactured into the same products, preserving their value and reducing the need for carbon-intensive, virgin materials.

Their decision to implement Polycarbin’s recycling program was driven by some key benefits:

Seamless integration: Lab plastics from any brand can be recycled without extra effort or workflow changes.

Data-driven impact tracking: The Carbin Counter™ Dashboard, built on ISO 14040 & 14044-certified Life Cycle Assessments (global standards for measuring environmental impact), provides evidence-based sustainability data.

Pilot program support: Polycarbin worked closely with Addition Therapeutics to test and optimize their recycling program before full-scale implementation.

Adopting Polycarbin’s program was simple and required no changes to Addition Therapeutics’ existing processes. “Polycarbin made it incredibly easy to set up our recycling program. They helped us understand which program would work best for us and even established a 'pilot' to ensure its success,” Sonia shared. “Now that we’re up and running, they are always available for questions or additional quote requests.”

Addition Therapeutics leverages Polycarbin’s Carbin Counter™ Dashboard and monthly sustainability snapshots. “I love the updates. Seeing the data makes our efforts tangible and reminds the team that their actions are making a difference,” Sonia explained.

Results 

Since launching its partnership with Polycarbin in July 2024, Addition Therapeutics has diverted a significant amount of landfill waste, CO2 emissions, water use, and crude oil consumption. 

Some key highlights include:

• 247 kg of plastic recycled.

• 2,310 cubic meters of water conserved.

• 1,510 kg of CO2 emissions prevented.

Beyond the numbers, the initiative has positively impacted team morale. “People feel more empowered when they can see the impact of their actions. We can see that something as small as putting your trash in a different bin adds up over time,” Sonia noted.

Polycarbin’s mail-back program makes it easy for labs to start small and transition into larger-scale core partnerships. “Now we just reorder additional new Carbins when needed. When we’re ready to mail out our full Carbins, we just bring them down to our loading dock for pickup. Polycarbin’s Carbins already have shipping labels on them, so sending them out is extremely convenient.

Looking Ahead 

The success of Addition Therapeutics’ lab recycling initiative has fueled interest in further expanding its sustainability efforts. The team is now exploring additional ways to reduce waste, repurpose materials, and further integrate sustainability into lab operations. By adopting innovative waste reduction solutions, Addition Therapeutics proves that cutting-edge research and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.

Join Us in Building the World’s First True Circular Economy

At Polycarbin, we believe that single-use waste does not have to be the cost of innovation. By reducing waste, cutting emissions, and empowering scientists to take action, we are building a new standard for sustainable innovation—empowering scientists to create true circularity.

Ready to see how much your lab can decarbonize?
Contact us today for a consultation and learn how your lab can be part of the Polycarbin mission and help make science more sustainable!