World Recycling Day: Closing the Loop

Transitioning the global economy from a linear to a circular approach of operating is a fundamental and herculean generational task – but it is also an innovation that carries tremendous potential, both from an environmental and a business perspective. Boehringer Ingelheim has committed to significantly reducing its environmental footprint throughout the entire value chain by 2030. This includes, for example finding ways to innovate sustainable packaging and implementing aspects of eco-design and green chemistry principles in new product development and production. While it is a complex process, we believe that it is our responsibility towards our patients, customers, partners and the planet, to minimize the environmental footprint of our products, while maintaining the highest standards and expectations of product safety and quality. Substantially eliminating PVC from tertiary packaging and reducing single-use plastics worldwide is just one small step. So how are we moving from linearity to recycling and circularity?

The site in Sant Cugat has recently been certified as carbon neutral in its operations

The EU’s Green Deal defines circularity as a “model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible”. Therefore, the objective is to use resources as long as possible. Doing so successfully not only reduces resource use and waste, but also potential health risks associated with environmental factors, as well as carbon emissions from energy use, manufacturing processes and logistics. This positions circularity as a key element of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Sustainable Development – For Generations framework and more specifically in the environmental sustainability program MORE GREEN, given its impact for both our patients and our planet.

The formula “Reduce – Reuse – Recycle – Recover” is often used to illustrate how all resources within a value chain should be treated – an expansion of the original recycling-centric approach of earlier decades. Implementing these principles throughout operations has been a continuous process for quite some time and it comes with many challenges: mandated hygiene and safety requirements, local and regional regulations, technical aspects, product authorizations and registrations – all are affected by the transition to circular economy. While this adds complexity to the challenge, it also brings opportunity to innovate, reduce costs and find ways to reduce the environmental footprint of our products to create even better solutions. Some examples:

Reduce – Using Fewer Resources

In Shanghai, China, we are successfully implementing a “Zero Waste To Landfill” strategy, which led to a certification by TÜV Rheinland in November 2021. This was the very first such certification for a pharmaceutical company in China. By introducing digital waste management systems, optimizing packaging and manufacturing steps, as well as processing materials on site, the percentage of recycled and reused waste to landfill was increased to 98% with substantial carbon emissions savings. This initiative was one reason why our Shanghai site was recently included in the Shanghai Ministry of Ecology & Environment’s Top 100 best practice list – as one of only two multinational pharmaceutical companies to be included.

Reuse – Extending Usage for as Long As Possible

In Singapore, as in other parts of the world, waste has become a challenge for the environment and society. Pharmaceutical devices contribute to this. Therefore, deploying eco-design principles - incorporating environmental aspects into various steps of the product development process – offers more options to manage these challenges. Like the Respimat Reusable, which provides the same benefit and usability to our patients, but with a significantly smaller environmental footprint. Respimat® is a propellant free platform inhaler used with a number of products from our respiratory portfolio. Unlike conventional inhalers however, the reusable variant can be used over an extended period of time, significantly reducing their overall environmental impact. This led our team in Singapore to be awarded with the Packaging Star Award 2021, the only pharmaceutical company to receive this recognition. Similarly, in Sant Cugat, Spain, our eco-design efforts received the Spanish Pharmaceutical Waste Management Agency’s (SIGRE) sustainability award, highlighting the reduced waste-to-landfill and carbon emissions saved through the Respimat reusable every year. A similar product from our animal health business, the Equihaler for horses, was honored with the 2021 Pharmapack award.

Recycle – Reusing Resources

In Gainesville, Georgia, USA, we implemented the Value Project, which recycles a pivotal component of many pharmaceuticals: Roller Bottles. Prior to the Value Project, there were no dedicated recycle streams for roller balls leaving only two options: incineration or transporting to a landfill. Now, used roller bottles are decontaminated, processed, shipped to our recycling partners and then reused, saving substantial waste to landfills each year.

When it comes to utilizing aspects of circularity to help reduce the overall environmental footprint, the phrase “think global, act local” holds true. Through the “Sustainable Development – For Generations” framework, Boehringer Ingelheim is continuing a journey that began more than 135 years ago, to contribute to tackling global health and environmental challenges. With its MORE GREEN program, Boehringer Ingelheim intends to become even more environmentally sustainable, continuing the significant reduction in the company’s greenhouse gas emissions, energy and resource use, as well as water footprint.