Making drug manufacturing carbon neutral throughout the supply chain

In 2015, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), 196 countries adopted the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 °C. This requires countries to cut emissions by at least 45% compared with 2010 levels, and reach net zero by 2050. However, the current commitments from this coalition of countries fall far short; based on current plans, rather than falling, emissions will increase by almost 30% by 2030. It's vital that companies, as well as governments, get behind the goal of net zero as soon as possible. [1] 

The impact of the biopharma industry

In a 2019 assessment and analysis of greenhouse gas emissions of the top 15 global pharmaceutical companies, the pharmaceutical industry emission intensity was around 55% higher than that of the automotive industry. The emissions varied by around five-fold between companies bringing in comparable revenues; the emissions intensity of Eli Lilly (77.3 tonnes of CO2e/$M) was 5.5-fold greater than Roche (14 tonnes CO2e/$M) in 2015, and Procter & Gamble's emissions intensity was 5-fold greater than Johnson & Johnson, even though the two companies had similar levels of revenues and similar product lines. The highest emissions intensity was 189 tonnes CO2e/$M, produced by Bayer in Germany. [2] 

People in the industry are starting to show their concern, but the responses are mixed. In a 2021 Global Data survey, 43% of respondents saw environmental issues as the most important ESG (environmental, social and governance) issue. Within environmental issues, 52% saw climate change as the most important issue, followed by pollution (32%). [3]

In June 2021, eight pharma and biotech supply companies founded the Alliance to Zero, a non-profit that aims to support transition of biopharma to net zero. The goal is to connect and coordinate companies throughout the supply chain, from suppliers and pharmaceutical companies to manufacturers and service providers, as well as engaging with academia and non-profit organisations. The founders include Sharp, Harro Höfliger, Schreiner MediPharm, Körber, Schott Pharma, Health Beacon, Daywyler and Ypsomed. [4]

According to a study published in December 2023, however, only 4% of the world's largest publicly-traded biotech and pharmaceutical companies have climate commitments that align with the 1.5 °C limit. [5]

Making a change

The move towards carbon neutral needs to start by analysing the current carbon footprint of the company, and seeing what can be changed. [6] This includes monitoring the individual steps of the drug supply chain, from drug development to manufacturing and distribution. 

Energy use 

Energy is a major part of a company's carbon footprint, and there are a number of ways that biopharma companies can tackle the issue in its existing buildings. The first step is to reduce scope 1 emissions (those associated with on-site combustion to generate heat and power using fossil fuels) by reducing overall energy consumption. Studies have shown that most biopharma plants have scope to reduce their energy use by between 20% and 50% using existing technologies. This includes switching to LED lighting, ensuring that all equipment is energy efficient, including steam generation where required, reducing refrigerant gas and solvent vapour emissions, and optimising heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. [7, 8] Installing a combined heat and power system can capture waste heat from one process and use it in another, as well as reducing costs by using more efficient fuel sources. [9]

Pharmaxo, a UK-based pharmaceutical specials manufacturer, is aiming for net zero by 2045. Its approaches to reducing energy consumption include changing to air source heat pumps, and putting in place detailed energy monitoring to track the efficiency of the equipment. [6] 

When companies need to move to a new location or expand an existing location, sustainability can be built in by design. Amgen has built a visitor centre in Breda, The Netherlands, that has an A++++ energy efficiency label and a consumption minus energy index. The building includes a 26-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system, adaptive lighting that changes the light intensity based on solar position and building occupancy, heat-resistant glazing that keeps the interior cool in warmer weather, and a ventilation system that optimises heating and air quality in cooler weather. [7]

Amgen has also built a biomanufacturing plant in Singapore that has 73% lower energy consumption, 54% less water use and 69% lower carbon emissions compared with the manufacture of the same amount of product in a traditional facility. [7]

Energy sourcing

Once the energy use has been tackled, companies can look into using renewable energy, either generated on site or sourced via suppliers (scope 2 emissions - related to energy purchased externally and consumed on site). Initially focusing on suppliers with energy load in Europe and North America, the Energize programme aims to increase access to renewable energy for pharmaceutical supply chains. The programme, which is managed by Carnstone Partners and delivered by Schneider Electric, will help participating companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions based on the energy they purchase and use. The companies will learn more about renewable energy adoption and contracting, and gain the opportunity to participate in the market for power purchase agreements (PPAs). The 10 pharmaceutical and healthcare companies forming the initial collaboration are AstraZeneca, Biogen, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, MSD, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Takeda. [10, 11]

Single-use technologies vs stainless steel process technologies

At first glance the environmental choice between single use plastic and reusable stainless-steel vessels, tubing and bioreactors for powder handling and bioprocessing in manufacturing appears simple - reusable must be more environmentally sound than single use. Studies have shown, however, that single-use process technology can have a lower impact than traditional reusable technologies, because it reduces the need for clean in place (CIP) and sterilisation in place (SIP) processes, which use a lot of heat, sterilised water and potentially hazardous chemicals. Single use technologies come in a range of sizes, allowing the right size to be used for a specific batch, which reduces energy consumption. While single-use technologies need to be replaced constantly, they still appear to have a lower environmental damage impact overall, which will be increased if they can be recycled sustainably. [12-14]

Sustainable packaging

Creating sustainable packaging for marketed products can be a challenge, as drugs need to be trackable and traceable, and the packaging needs to be secure to avoid tampering. The way a drug is packaged also helps in its delivery - for example, sprays, inhalers or injectables. The combinations of different materials in these makes recycling much more difficult. 

Companies need to look at building sustainability into design, for example using sustainable or plant-based polymers, reducing the amount of material that goes into the delivery device, or creating packaging such as blister packs that use a single, fully recyclable material such as aluminium. [15, 16] Buffer materials in packaging can be replaced by paper, card, or cellulose. [17] 

Companies such as Terracycle in the UK specialise in recycling medicine packaging, and support from the biopharmaceutical industry could help projects like this to expand. [18]

In the UK alone, 61.1 million inhalers are prescribed each year, with a carbon footprint of 1.3 billion kg of CO2. Lupin Healthcare has created a carbon neutral pressurised metered dose inhaler, Luforbec, for adult asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). [19]

Re-use and recycling

As with managing household waste, reusing and recycling plays an important role in moving towards carbon neutral in the biopharma industry. Pharmaceutical waste needs to be disposed of safely and in a compliant manner, to avoid harming the environment and affecting human and animal health, and to reduce the risk of any active ingredients being stolen or abused. The industry needs to look at ways that its waste can be reused or recycled, from water and solvents to equipment. 

By the end of the decade, the gap between global water supply and demand is expected to reach 40%. The financial cost of water is growing, and its processing also has an sustainability challenge. Pharmaceutical development and production uses a lot of water, and all of this must be processed before it is discharged to rivers and seas. By reducing water use in the first place through water-efficient equipment, and by treating water on site and reusing it, companies can cut their costs and their carbon footprint, as well as protecting the environment. [16, 20]

The solvents used in biopharma development and manufacturing are often sent to processors for incineration. This requires energy for transportation, sometimes for long distances. There is an impact on the environment associated with burning a solvent, and an environmental cost for the energy and materials required to produce new solvents. Recovering the solvents for reuse, particularly if it can be done on site, increases sustainability. [21, 22] If the recovered solvents are not of high enough quality for reuse in biopharma research or production, they can be sold to be reused in industries that do not require the same levels of purity. [23]

Purchasing equipment for laboratories and manufacturing plants is costly, especially for SMEs (small and medium enterprises). Companies can reduce costs and their carbon footprints by buying used equipment. Reusing equipment reduces landfill and avoids using natural resources to manufacture new equipment. Selling equipment that they no longer need reduces waste from materials and maintenance and frees up space. [24]

The industry produces a lot of other forms of waste, including packaging and single use technologies, and there is still a need for a greater focus on how this can be managed more sustainably, while maintaining safety. [25] Potential solutions include waste-to-energy incineration, or recycling into construction materials at sites that are able to accept biohazardous materials. [26, 27]

The impact of up- and downstream providers

Scope 3 emissions are those that result from assets owned by other companies, but that indirectly impact the company's value chain, such as goods (active pharmaceutical ingredients, other chemicals) and services (contract development and manufacturing organisations [CDMOs] and distributors). These need to be taken into account when a company carries out its energy audit. [8]

Pharmaxo's approach to reducing its scope 3 emissions is to start by engaging with its first-tier suppliers to put carbon reduction on their agenda, which could be as simple as making delivery routes more efficient. [6]

Many active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are sourced from fossil fuels, and the energy-intensive manufacturing process involves a lot of steps and number of polluting byproducts. Focusing on greener chemistry ensures that the production process is more sustainable, with less waste. Companies such as Double Rainbow Biosciences are looking at improving sustainability by moving away from fossil fuels and towards methods based on synthetic biology. [16, 28]

Looking to the future

Biopharma companies will need to work hard to achieve carbon neutral, but the outcomes will be worth it both from a planetary perspective, and as a way to differentiate their outlook from that of other companies.

References 

1. UN. For a livable climate: Net-zero commitments must be backed by credible action. 27 February 2024. Available from: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition.

2. Belkhir, L. and A. Elmeligi, Carbon footprint of the global pharmaceutical industry and relative impact of its major players. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2019. 214: p. 185-194.

3. GlobalData. Addressing ESG issues may help pharma to repair its reputation. 24 February 2021. Available from: https://www.globaldata.com/media/pharma/addressing-esg-issues-may-help-pharma-repair-reputation/.

4. Alliance to Zero. Alliance to Zero founded to achieve net zero emissions across the pharmaceutical supply chain. 2 June 2021. Available from: https://alliancetozero.com/recources/alliance-to-zero-founded-to-achieve-net-zero-emissions-across-the-pharmaceutical-supply-chain/.

5. Connelly, J., et al., 2023 Carbon Impact of Biotech & Pharma Report: Collective Action Accelerating Progress to the UN Race to Zero. 2023.

6. Cooper, M., Getting to net zero by 2045. Pharmaxo News, 2023. Available from: https://pharmaxo.com/news/getting-to-net-zero-by-2045/.

7. Amgen. Environmental Sustainability. 27 February 2024. Available from: https://www.amgen.com/responsibility/healthy-planet/environmental-sustainability.

8. Beattie, K.M., et al., Challenges for Net Zero Carbon Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. Pharmaceutical Engineering, March/April 2023. Available from: https://ispe.org/pharmaceutical-engineering/march-april-2023/challenges-net-zero-carbon-pharmaceutical-manufacturing.

9. Salas O'Brien. Designing carbon neutral pharmaceutical manufacturing. 2021. Available from: https://salasobrien.com/projects/carbon-neutral-pharmaceutical-manufacturing/.

10. Carnstone. Energize: A programme to increase access to renewable energy for pharmaceutical supply chains. Carnstone News Bulletin 4 November 2021. Available from: https://carnstone.com/bulletin?bulletin=69.

11. Schneider Electric. Pharma Companies Launch Supplier Program to Advance Climate Action. Perspectives Blog 18 October 2021. Available from: https://perspectives.se.com/blog-stream/energize-program-for-pharma-suppliers.

12. Flanagan, W., et al., An Environmental Lifecycle Assessment of Single-Use and Conventional Process Technology: Comprehensive Environmental Impacts. BioPharm International, 1 March 2014. Available from: https://www.biopharminternational.com/view/environmental-lifecycle-assessment-single-use-and-conventional-process-technology-comprehensive-envi.

13. ILC Dover, The environmental benefits of single-use pharmaceutical containment plastics. 27 February 2019. Available from: https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/sponsored/single-use-plastics-pharma/.

14. Hawkins, L., Single-use vs. reusable equipment: Which is more sustainable? Pharma Logistics IQ, 11 March 2023. Available from: https://www.pharmalogisticsiq.com/packaging-shipping-systems/articles/single-use-vs-reusable-equipment-which-is-more-sustainable.

15. Quelch, R., Sustainable pharma packaging: breaking down the barriers to adoption. European Pharmaceutical Review, 5 October 2022. Available from: https://www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/article/174874/sustainable-pharma-packaging-breaking-down-the-barriers-to-adoption/.

16. Kaylor, A., Strategies for Sustainability in the Global Pharmaceutical Supply Chain. Pharma News Intelligence, 3 May 2023. Available from: https://pharmanewsintel.com/features/strategies-for-sustainability-in-the-global-pharmaceutical-supply-chain.

17. dfv media group, Recycling possible in the pharmaceutical industry. Packaging 360, 1 June 2020. Available from: https://www.packaging-360.com/en/experts-en/recycling-possible-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry/.

18. ABPI. Recycling pharmaceutical packaging: Medicine Packaging and Recycling. 24 January 2024. Available from: https://www.abpi.org.uk/reputation/sustainability-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry/recycling-pharmaceutical-packaging/.

19. Hawkins, L., Five ways pharma is reducing its carbon emissions. Pharma iQ, 31 May 2022. Available from: https://www.pharma-iq.com/clinical/articles/five-ways-pharma-is-reducing-its-carbon-emissions.

20. McIntosh, M.H.J., Wastewater Recycling Is a Pathway to Lower Risk Exposure and Water Costs in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. European Pharmaceutical manufacturer, 19 July 2023. Available from: https://pharmaceuticalmanufacturer.media/pharmaceutical-industry-insights/wastewater-recycling-is-a-pathway-to-lower-risk-exposure-and/.

21. Schafer, T., Rethinking Solvent Recycling. Pharma Manufacturing, 19 November 2017. Available from: https://www.pharmamanufacturing.com/home/article/11309241/rethinking-solvent-recycling.

22. Schafer, T., The Often-Overlooked Benefits Of Recovering And Recycling Your Own Solvents. Pharmaceutical Processing World, 10 November 2017. Available from: https://www.pharmaceuticalprocessingworld.com/the-often-overlooked-benefits-of-recovering-and-recycling-your-own-solvents/.

23. Oldham, G., Waste not, want not. PharmaTimes, 7 October 2021. Available from: https://pharmatimes.com/thought_leadership/improving_waste_management_in_pharmaceutical_manufacturing_1379987/.

24. Angel, L., The key benefits of buying used pharmaceutical machinery. LinkedIn, 27 January 2023. Available from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/key-benefits-buying-used-pharmaceutical-machinery-luke-angel/.

25. GEN, Single-Use Technologies Need to Be Easier to Recycle. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, 22 February 2022. Available from: https://www.genengnews.com/insights/industry-needs-to-make-single-use-technologies-easier-to-recycle/.

26. Markarian, J., Sustainability in Disposal of Single-Use System. BioPharm International, 1 February 2019.

27. GEN, Single-Use Technology Has Biopharma Sizing Up the Recycling Bin. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, 1 August 2019. Available from: https://www.genengnews.com/insights/single-use-technology-has-biopharma-sizing-up-the-recycling-bin/.

28. Jimenez, D., Cutting the carbon footprint of pharma's supply chain. Pharmaceutical Technology, 9 February 2022. Available from: https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/cutting-carbon-footprint-pharma-supply-chain/.

About the Author:

Suzanne Elvidge

Freelance medical writer

Based in the north of England, Suzanne Elvidge is a freelance medical writer with a 30-year experience in journalism, feature writing, publishing, communications and PR. She has written features and news for a range of publications, including BioPharma Dive, Pharmaceutical Journal, Nature Biotechnology, Nature BioPharma Dealmakers, Nature InsideView and other Nature publications, to name just a few. She has also written in-depth reports and ebooks on a range of industry and disease topics for FirstWord, PharmaSources, and FierceMarkets. Suzanne became a freelancer in 2006, and she writes about pharmaceuticals, consumer healthcare and medicine, and the healthcare, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, for industry, science, healthcare professional and patient audiences.