Green Pharma: How Sustainability Is Changing Drug Manufacturing

The pharmaceutical industry has historically provided a foundation for global health by helping to provide lifesaving medicines and therapies to billions of patients. But at the same time that we are achieving medical breakthroughs, the reality of drug manufacturing is that it is resource-intensive, from the sheer magnitude of energy that is consumed, to the continuous stream of chemical waste, and resulting carbon emissions that the pharmaceutical industry is accountable for.

This led to the advent of Green Pharma - a new movement to improve drug manufacturing productivity and at the same time be more ecologically sustainable. This is more than just a movement; it has become an urgent business need for those companies who want to maintain a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

Let's take a look at how sustainable practices are transforming the drug manufacturing landscape across the globe, and why companies are making movement toward this in their drug manufacturing business.

1. Why Sustainability Matters in Pharma

Perhaps we overlook the environmental consequences that result from pharmaceuticals. The factual truth is that the pharmaceutical drug manufacturing process consumes significant energy, water, and raw materials, while simultaneously producing chemical byproducts and emissions that can be harmful to ecosystems.  The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly under pressure from governments, regulators, and investors to "green" their processes. The pharmaceutical industry has reached a point where sustainability is no longer a "nice to have" - it is a competitive advantage.

Taking into consideration that many companies manufacture drugs simply to satisfy regulatory requirements to comply with their particular country, turning sustainability and "green" advancements into profitable change is important and advantageous to any company. Sustainability and green procedures not only help regulatory compliance, it allows companies to lower costs, improve production efficiency, and improve their company's overall perception to public consumers.

2. Key Sustainable Practices in Global Pharma

2.1 Green Chemistry

Green chemistry is important for Green Pharma which refers to making chemical formulations that minimize the impact of pharmaceuticals on the environment; this includes:

• Use a more environmentally safe solvent, including a biodegradable solution instead of a toxic solvent.
• Formulate chemical interactions that will provide less waste.
• Use less energy used in the optimized processes of chemical reactions.

The number of companies producing continuously as opposed to batch manufacturing is also rising, which is in part due to energy efficiency, less waste, and consistency in quality control starting with the drug producer.

2.2 Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

 Energy costs are one of the highest costs of pharmaceutical production. To directly impact energy costs companies are:

• Installing renewable sources of energy to reduce costs
• Engaging energy efficiency equipment, and energy efficient lighting.
• Engaging smart building technologies that watches for waste of energy and would manage the entire energy supply in a company to maximize reduction of wasted energy.

Lastly, invest in renewable sources of energy including solar and wind resources. Global pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Novartis, among others have made commitments to significantly increase the amount of renewable sources of energy they use in their manufacturing facilities to drive their overall carbon neutrality goals.  Pfizer Sustainability Initiatives Novartis Environmental Sustainability

2.3 Water Conservation

Water is a core component in pharmaceuticals—from cleaning and cooling to formulations—but over consumption can overtax local sources. Companies are taking the following approaches:

• Recycling water for uses not involving direct patient care
• Creating closed-loop systems in manufacturing processes to eliminate water loss during process changes
• Treating wastewater through advanced filtration and bioremediation processes, where pathways exist, before disposal

For example, GSK has reduced the consumption of freshwater across multiple sites through routine recycling and reuse of water, creating a model for sustainable operations. GSK Environmental Sustainability Report

2.4 Sustainability in Packaging

Packaging of pharmaceuticals can contribute a significant amount of pollution and waste to the environment. Companies are bringing packaging initiatives to sustainability that include:

• Changing to biodegradable plastic or recycled materials
• Reducing surplus packaging to amount to less waste
• Designing “smaller format”, non-individual unit dose packaging to reduce shipping expenses and footprint
• Sustainable packaging initiatives not only assist with the environment but significantly expand the company’s reputation with partners, as well as with investors and fundamental investors who put social responsibility as a priority issue in consideration of their investment decisions.

2.5 Waste Management

Equal to waste management is also an equally important thought.  Companies are implementing:

• Segregation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams
• Recycling, or neutralizing chemicals when reasonable or sustainable
• Sourcing vetted providers who are certified to dispose waste appropriately for non-recyclable, or chemical waste

Today, many companies now publish annual reports focused on sustainability to show transparency and accountability, while minimizing contamination, pollution, and waste to landfill.

2.6 Green Supply Chains

Sustainable practices reach beyond manufacturing thoughts; it is really throughout the entire supply chain. Here are ideas you can assess:

• Launching an eco-friendly raw material program.
• Using streamlined logistics to minimize carbon emissions, through a decision-making practice on joining transport, and using low carbon modes of transport.
• Finding opportunities to use digital technologies to predict customer demand accurately, to reduce overproduction and reduce waste.

In addition to green initiative in manufacturing, a green supply chain is good for the environment and the business, with increased operational efficiency, and reduced costs

3. Business Benefits of Green Pharma

Going green is not just about doing good; it also makes good business sense for the company. Companies realize benefits such as:

1. Regulatory Requirement: Compliance with increasingly stricter environmental requirements, understood at a global level.
2. Reduction of Cost: Cost savings through reduction in energy, water and waste savings, leading to overall reduction in operational costs.
3. Enhanced Reputation: Sustainability initiative often translates to enhanced brand reputation with suppliers, investors, and customers, thus giving profit motive to being green.
4. Innovation: New forms of processing help encourage the company to innovate and improved and renewed ways of processing.
5. Global Competitor: When addressing strict regulations in one country, companies incorporating sustainability into their operations often find greener, and less expensive, ways of procuring or processing materials, making them a better actor in increasingly regulated environments.

    

4. Challenges in Implementation

Despite the benefits being enticing, sustainability comes with challenges to implementation, including:

• High Upfront Cost: Investing in the manufacturing replacement of equipment and in the infrastructure and maintenance of facilities will require an investment of capital.
• Potentially Confusing Regulatory Landscape: Every country has different sustainability requirements.
• Technological Availability: Some manufacturing processes are still developing alternative sustainable processes.
• Cultural Shift: Changing from a standard operating procedure to a more sustainable process takes buy-in.

Addressing these issues requires a long-term strategy, the use of new technologies, and a partnership approach with suppliers and partners around the world.

5. The Future of Green Pharma

The future looks bright for sustainable pharma. There is a shift in the industry towards a circular economy – one where there is little or no waste, materials are reused and the impact on the environment is minimized. Here are some of the trends we will see soon:

• Manufacturing plants that are carbon neutral and powered by renewables.
• The use of biodegradable materials in packaging will become standard practice.
• Digital twin (simulation) of the actual manufacturing process to allow for optimization prior to launching physical production in order to minimize waste.
• Collaboration both within and outside the industry to gather support for global sustainability standards.

"Sustainability" in pharma is no longer a choice – it's the direction taken by the future of companies who want to be leaders and "first" in global health care.

6. Conclusion

Sustainability is not just an ethical choice for pharma – it can be positioned as a strategic choice. Through green chemistry, energy efficiency, water sustainability, sustainably sourced alternative materials in packaging, responsibly managed waste and sustainable supply chains, pharmaceutical companies can reduce their environmental footprint while also improving resource efficiency, regulatory compliance, and reputation.

As the demand for medications continues to increase, there is an opportunity for the industry to serve as the role model for environmental stewardship underpinned by the transmission of health innovation which essentially shows that health innovation is not soiled from sustainable operations. The future is green pharma, and now is the time to act!