CSI: recycling edition

The UK is pioneering a unique research project dedicated to plastic waste generated by investigators at crime scenes.

Becci Henderson, a crime scene investigator (CSI) and PhD student at the University of Portsmouth, has won a prestigious Churchill Fellowship grant to consider the growing issue of plastic packaging waste generated during forensic investigations.

She is visiting Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Singapore to explore more sustainable practices at crime scenes.

Dramatic increase

Henderson, who is also a member of the Revolution Plastics Institute, has 23 years of experience in crime scene investigation.  She says there has been a ‘dramatic increase’ in single-use plastic waste at crime scenes.

Products such as swabs, exhibit bags, PPE, wipes, and drop sheets are the main culprits.

At just a single crime scene Henderson generated 2kg of plastic waste at a single crime scene, much of which was unopened and unused, costing her task force EUR 90 to replace.

Overlooked

‘Despite the regular consumption of single-use plastics in the field of forensics, particularly at CSI level, the generation of this type of waste and the overall sustainability of consumables has never been addressed,’ Henderson argues.

‘I need to change that. As police forces strive to meet strict ISO accreditation stipulations, the resulting mountain of plastic waste is worsening. I want to reduce the reliance on plastic in the CSI and forensic sector, replacing it with sustainable packaging whilst, crucially, maintaining the integrity of the evidence stored within it.’

International best practices

The Churchill Fellowship will enable Henderson to learn from international practices and bring innovative solutions back to the UK. She will investigate how other countries manage single-use plastic waste in forensics.

‘I’m hopeful that by liaising with many countries and sharing ideas, I can significantly reduce the amount of plastic entering the crime scene sector and come up with solutions to ensure less plastic waste is incinerated or landfilled,’ she says.

Henderson points out that Australia and New Zealand have rejected ISO standards in favour of bespoke CSI Quality Assurance Systems. Doing so has significantly reduced their single-use plastic waste.

Australia’s average plastic waste per capita (42.79kg) is more than 50% lower than in the UK (98.6kg).

Broad impact

Upon her return, she plans to present her findings to the UK’s National Scenes of Crime Consumables Board. Henderson aims to influence the design and use of forensic consumables, resulting in the removal of unnecessary plastic packaging.

Her initiative has already attracted interest from other emergency services, highlighting the broader implications of her work.