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Solid emissions
Solid emissions
Solids represent our typical idea of waste as a consumer, be it plastic, glass, paper, garden or food waste. The solid waste produced by the pharmaceutical industry includes a variety of waste streams that can negatively impact the environment and public health if not properly managed. These waste streams result from the production, use, and disposal of pharmaceutical products. As well as hazardous chemical waste emerging from manufacturing plants there is also packaging and unused medicines to consider.
The idea of a circular economy (Ellen Macarthur Foundation, 2024) gives an aspirational framework to develop a waste-free pharmaceutical supply chain. Alshemari et al. (2020) investigated ways of eliminating waste from the pharmaceutical supply chain and determined a variety of strategies that could be implemented. Some of their waste management ideas are listed below.
Supply chain stage
Supply chain stage
Good practice
Good practice
Future ambitions
Future ambitions
Manufacturing
Proactive communication down supply chain to gauge demand and avoid overproduction.
Green Chemistry technologies to reduce inherent waste.
Pharmacy
Inventory management and storage monitoring must prevent over-ordering and avoid failure of cold storage units.
Return scheme for unused medications (e.g. unclaimed prescribed medicine must be 'unprescribed'). Reformulation for longer shelf-life.
Hospital
Create resources (and training programs) to establish the safe disposal of pharmaceuticals.
More equipment that is reusable (after sterilisation) and not single use disposal plastic.
GP practice and outpatients
Prescription of medicines monitored to avoid over-prescribing. Communication with patients to control stockpiling at home.
Safe medicine return schemes. Redesign of inhalers for easy recycling of packaging and reuse of cartridges.
Care homes
Establish a prescribing pattern that accounts for use and storage capacity.
Dynamic stock holding, sharing resources between locations to prioritise the use of soon to expire products.
Ultimately, the reduction of solid waste requires cooperation by various organisations throughout the supply chain. Open channels of communication leads to a better understanding of where issues are, and makes it easier to find solutions.
References
References
Can we create a circular pharmaceutical supply chain (CPSC) to reduce medicines waste?: Alshemari, A., Breen, L., Gemma Quinn, G. and Sivarajah, U., Pharmacy 2020, 8, 221.
What is a circular economy?: Ellen Macarthur Foundation, 2024.
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