Facilities

We have 12 rooms in total of which four are dual purpose rooms that can be switched from PC2 containment to non-containment rearing rooms. Four rooms are rearing only rooms and five rooms are PC2 only. All rooms have lights and can be programmed for day and night temperature settings. Two rooms have glass roofs allowing natural light conditions which can significantly aid insect rearing and plant growth.

Control panel for insect rearing room.

We have three laboratories in the facility two are inside the PC2 area, one a wet laboratory and one a dry microscope area.

The facility has a large autoclave which can be used inside the PC2 area or accessed from outside by other staff. The autoclave is used to sterilise soil and plant material before it can be removed from the facility.

There is also a laboratory outside the PC2 area for general laboratory work and is currently used by the Toxicology team.

All waste water from the facility is heat treated before being dumped and all air circulated throughout the facility is hepa filtered to remove any insects before being exhausted into the environment.

Schematic showing waste treatment