Understanding pharma’s challenges and opportunities in relation to the climate crisis

Industries across the world are currently facing pressure to make changes that will improve their carbon impact.

The pharmaceutical industry in particular has come under scrutiny in recent years as it was revealed it emits 55% more carbon dioxide than the automotive sector per year [1]. Yet the pharmaceutical industry faces more challenges than most in reducing their impact. While patient safety must be the priority, regulatory requirements and legislation surrounding this hinder some of the “quick wins” that other industries can make.

Every step along the pharmaceutical supply chain, from raw material extraction through to end of life, releases carbon into our environment. Pharma companies have a responsibility to find ways to reduce their impact and it’s reassuring to see that a number of the big players in the industry are taking steps in the right direction. For example, in 2020, delivery systems specialists Ypsomed released the world’s first zero carbon emission autoinjector (YpsoMate Zero) through the use of alternative materials, by optimising the value chain and by offsetting the remaining carbon footprint [2].

So, what should pharma companies focus on in tackling their carbon emissions? The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations identified that over 80% of GHG emissions from its members are from Scope 3 emissions, i.e. emissions up and down the value chain [3]. Although all areas of the supply chain need to improve, one key area of interest here at Kinneir Dufort is the packaging and transportation solutions. In particular, how these could reduce the carbon impact and help pharma move towards a more conscious system.

The challenge

Packaging and transportation solutions for drug delivery systems contribute to the scope 3 emissions in various ways. The most obvious source of this is from single-use plastic packaging waste. Particularly for contact devices that need to be provided sterile, plastic packaging makes up an extra 7% of weight for every kg of product provided [4]. Making sustainable changes to this isn’t as easy as swapping out the plastic for an environmentally friendly material. Sterilisation and preventing contamination are inherently linked to the properties of a material and, unfortunately, single use plastic is very effective at providing these required properties. While there are potential solutions for this, it is possible to identify multiple routes to reducing the carbon impact during packaging and transport. We explore a few of these routes below.

Packing Density

An opportunity that has multiple environmental and economic benefits, improving the packing density of products can have a significant impact on the amount of packaging required, and thus the quantity of carbon emissions produced. By reassessing the stacking configuration of bulk products to remove dead space, less packaging is required, and less shipping space is taken up during transport. This results in a reduction in the carbon emissions produced during transport and saves money on running extra vehicles.

This process has been applied by Johnson & Johnson on their Surgicel™ Absorbable Hemostat mesh. By folding the mesh instead of rolling it during transport, J&J reduced the amount of packaging materials required by 60% and increased shipping space utilisation by 62% [5].

Reuse & Recycling

The popularity of reuse and recycling schemes has increased across all industries in recent years. Consumers are becoming more aware of where their waste ends up and are making conscious product choices based on the ability or not to recycle or reuse the waste. According to a 2019 GWI article, 60% of consumers said they were more likely to switch to a brand that is more environmentally friendly than their current brand [6]. This awareness applies to the pharmaceutical sector as well, and several companies have taken notice. Teva and Chiesi have both released inhaler recycling or takeback pilot schemes in European countries, and Novo Nordisk has developed the first ever UK recycling initiative for plastic prefilled injection pens, that aims to recycle 98 -99% of all materials within the pens [7]. A scheme such as this can also be used for packaging. Superdrug and TerraCycle have teamed up to develop the UK’s first medicine packet recycling scheme where consumers can return their empty blister packs from a range of brands to Superdrug Pharmacies for recycling. If these take-back recycling schemes are working for material recovery, and they are being engaged with, could they also be applied for possibly more complex reuse systems?

Alternative materials

While the difficulties around material choice for sterile packaging are present, that does not mean that it should be overlooked when considering carbon impact reductions. As shown by YpsoMate Zero, identifying alternative materials that can be swapped out for more environmentally friendly alternatives can have a significant impact on carbon emissions. Equally, identifying opportunities to reduce the amount of packaging used can contribute to a reduction in waste as well as an increased packing density during transport.

Industry-led responsibility

A detailed life cycle assessment of the current packaging and transportation process applied in drug delivery solutions can highlight various areas where carbon emissions are high and where intervention could occur to reduce them. Whether it is to meet self-led targets or government regulations, pharma has a responsibility to tackle the carbon emissions produced throughout the supply chain.

Through our dedicated Sustainability Lab and toolkits, our experts in drug delivery device design and our expertise in pharmaceutical packaging within the Steripack group, we are ideally placed to help pharma companies introduce more sustainable solutions and understand how the changes will influence their entire system.

References

[1] Carbon footprint of the global pharmaceutical industry and relative impact of its major players – ScienceDirect

[2] YpsoMate Zero – a zero carbon emission autoinjector – Ypsomed Delivery Systems

[3] How research pharmaceutical companies are contributing towards tackling global warming (efpia.eu)

[4] Material flow analysis of single-use plastics in healthcare: A case study of a surgical hospital in Germany – ScienceDirect

[5] Earthwards®, a Johnson & Johnson Program Helping to Create More Sustainability (jnj.com)

[6] Lifting the Lid on Sustainable Packaging (gwi.com)

[7] Inside the Novo Nordisk PenCycle Recycling Scheme (themedicinemaker.com)