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As appalling as it may sound, 75,000 animals are killed annually by just a single animal testing company. Besides the heartbreaking aspect, there is an environmentally hazardous aspect to it as well. According to a survey taken in 2019, about 127 million non-human vertebrates are bred, used, and finally disposed of by the cosmetic, drug, medical, and household product industries. Using animals in such huge masses has led to the rise of serious concerns about the impact it has on the environment.

A standard series of toxicity testing which is used to test the safety and efficacy of the drugs and chemicals can alone take up to 6000–12000 animals. Energy is another important factor that must be kept in mind. Animal research facilities may consume up to 10 times greater energy than offices on a square meter basis.

Animal research facilities may consume up to 10 times greater energy than offices on a square meter basis.

In addition to disposing of dead animals, animal testing laboratories also dispose of potentially dangerous and toxic chemicals, food waste, and a range of other supplies used during the testing process. It also has a deadly impact on soil, water, and air quality. Numerous toxic compounds, such as irritants, corrosives, asphyxiants, neurotoxins, reproductive and developmental toxins, and carcinogens, are used in the facility’s procedures. The amount of food required to feed the animals used for research and agricultural purposes is also linked to the damage caused as a result of animal testing. The majority of the animals used for animal testing do not survive the tests and are disposed of in large quantities, resulting in environmental exposure to biohazardous and radioactive substances as well as various diseases.

animal research facilities generate an enormous

These animal research facilities generate an enormous amount of waste that needs to be removed and disposed of regularly. Food, cages, chemicals, excrement, bedding, waste feed, needles, syringes, unused or outdated prescriptions, and drugs, as well as other supplies and equipment, are produced, utilized, and/or discarded during research. Incineration of waste is the most common method used for waste disposal and is responsible for polluting the air significantly.

In a world where biodiversity is under serious threat, we are losing species at a rate 50–500 times higher than the rates found in fossil records. The long-tailed macaque population, the most popular primate employed in labs, has been reported by conservation organizations to be rapidly diminishing in the wild. To breed them in captivity for use in animal research, monkeys are frequently captured in the wild using fictitious permits.

The environmental impact that these facilities have cannot be ignored at any cost as they have serious negative consequences. Keeping these consequences in mind, it is high time that the world switches to alternative non-animal testing methods.