2025 In Review:
Sustainability Milestones Transforming Life Sciences and Biopharma

2025 has been a pivotal year for the life sciences and biopharma industries. We’ve witnessed a significant shift from discussion to measurable action, fostering tangible change in sectors often scrutinised for their environmental impact. From procuring sustainable supplies and optimising laboratory resource usage to implementing revolutionary waste strategies, industry leaders have laid a solid foundation for a greener future.

How New Regulations Sparked a Wave of Sustainable Action

A primary catalyst for this transformation has been the introduction of stringent regulatory requirements. These mandates compelled companies to scrutinise their daily operations, identify areas for improvement, and meet new compliance standards. Suddenly, reporting on climate risk, emissions, and supply chain transparency became as crucial as financial reporting.

This data-driven accountability has yielded remarkable results. In the US healthcare sector alone, 493 reporting hospitals saved enough water to fill 129 swimming pools and diverted waste equivalent to the weight of 1,416 Boeing 747 jets. The biopharma industry also elevated its sustainable goals after a staggering statistic revealed that 71% of its total emissions originate from the supply chain.

Tackling the Supply Chain: Reducing Biopharma’s Carbon Footprint

To combat their significant Scope 3 emissions, biopharma leaders have fostered collaboration across the entire value chain. Many have pledged to slash emissions by 70% by 2030 and commit to a net-zero future. A key part of this strategy involves reforming the supply chain.

The Role of Sustainable Procurement

Tools like the My Green Lab ACT Ecolabel became an invaluable resource in 2025. As the only third-party verified ecolabel for laboratory products, it provides transparent data on a product’s environmental impact, empowering companies to make purchasing decisions that align with their ESG objectives. This focus paid off, with the top 25 biopharma firms achieving an approximate 10% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 5% reduction in Scope 3 emissions, according to the My Green Lab Carbon Impact Report for 2025.

Building Greener Laboratories from the Ground Up

Laboratories themselves have made huge strides in addressing their environmental impact. It’s a critical area, considering life science labs can use up to ten times more energy and four times more water than typical office spaces.

Initiatives like the Freezer Challenge, organised by My Green Lab, saw a 23% increase in participation in 2024. In 2025, the 3,724 participating laboratories saved a combined 31.6 million kWh of energy by adopting more sustainable cold storage practices. This proves that a continued commitment to greener lab operations can have a significant and positive environmental impact.

The Circular Economy: Rethinking Waste in Life Sciences

Meaningful progress was also made in tackling the vast quantities of waste generated by life sciences and biopharma. For decades, single-use plastics have been a staple due to their sterility and cost-effectiveness, but their environmental toll is immense.

Traditionally, the waste treatment for this biomedical waste involved incineration or autoclaving, both of which release harmful carbon dioxide emissions before the remnants are sent to landfill. To counter this, organisations are now shifting towards a circular economy: a system focused on reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. This not only benefits the environment but also provides economic advantages by maximising the value of materials. The proper management and logistics, including reliable clinical waste collection, are crucial for this system to work. Innovative technologies are now enabling true biohazardous waste recycling, moving beyond simple disposal. Specialised biohazardous waste treatment companies and regulated waste treatment companies are pioneering solutions that champion this circular model, offering a sustainable alternative to the outdated methods of treating biohazardous waste and paving the way for effective waste recycling.