How to Best Manage Pharmaceutical Waste
As the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry grows, its waste generated grows, too — as does the market for medical waste management.
Pharmaceuticals
Will This EPA Strategy Ease Hazardous Waste Compliance Burdens for Retailers?
To address a disconnect between rigorous federal hazardous waste rules and their real-world use, the EPA has proposed a Retail Strategy to help companies in the retail sector better identify and manage hazardous waste.
Product Stewardship: Whose Responsibility Is It Anyway?
Extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws, which require manufacturers to fund and manage recycling and disposal programs for their products, are being implemented in many places around the world. Notably, Canada and Europe widely use EPR to manage waste and prevent pollution from hazardous waste. But EPR has been slower to ... Read more »
Real-Time Microbial Monitoring System for Pharmaceutical Waters
Mettler Toledo Thornton has launched its 7000RMS analyzer for real-time, continuous measurement of bioburden in the pharmaceutical industry. On-line monitoring of conductivity and total organic carbon (TOC) for pharmaceutical waters have been possible since 1996. However, determining microbial contamination has almost entirely relied on laboratory measurement of cultures. The time ... Read more »
Albertsons to End Waste Disposal Case With $3.3M Payout
Albertsons supermarket chain has agreed to pay $3.3 million to settle allegations that its California stores illegally dumped hazardous waste, including batteries, pool chemicals and over-the-counter medication. Idaho-based Albertsons did not acknowledge any wrongdoing, but did agree to reform waste management practices at its 118 California stores. The settlement was ... Read more »
2014’s Top Green Companies Named
Media and telecommunications firm Vivendi, pharmaceutical company Allergan and software house Adobe Systems have taken the top three spots in Newsweek’s 2014 Top Green Companies in the World. The annual ranking, which Newsweek publishes alongside a US-only ranking, rates the world’s largest companies’ corporate sustainability and environmental impact, ultimately awarding each company ... Read more »
Bio-Succinic Acid Market to Reach $1.1 bn
The global bio-succinic acid market volume is expected to grow at an annual rate of 45.6 percent between 2013 and 2020. Market revenue was estimated to be $115.2 million in 2013 and is expected to grow to $1.1 billion by 2020, according to “Bio-succinic Acid Market – Size, Share, Trends, Opportunities, ... Read more »
Walmart Prescribes Green Packaging, Concentrated Clorox
Walmart has launched greener packaging for select prescriptions and is now carrying a concentrated version of Clorox bleach. Earlier this month, 4,600 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies introduced Ecoslide-RX box packaging, which is made by Keystone Folding Box Company, for select prescriptions. The box is made from 100 percent recyclable material, ... Read more »
Umicore Tops Corporate Knights’ 2013 Global 100
Belgium-based materials technology and recycling company Umicore tops the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies, according to Corporate Knights, the Toronto-based media and investment research firm that compiles the annual list. Brazil’s Natura Cosmeticos, Norway’s Statoil, Finland’s Neste Oil and Denmark’s Novo Nordisk rounded out the top ... Read more »
CSL Sustainability Report: Mixed Results on GHG Intensity
Australian bio-pharmaceutical company CSL Limited reduced its greenhouse gas emissions per unit of plasma production by 4.5 percent from 2010/11 to 2011/12, but emissions intensity for vaccine production increased 4.3 percent in that time period, according to the company’s latest corporate sustainability report. The report does not include detailed figures ... Read more »
GlaxoSmithKline Aims to Collect 100,000 Inhalers
GlaxoSmithKline hopes to collect 100,000 used respiratory inhalers through a new collection program.
Johnson & Johnson Report: 54% of Hospitals Say Green Attributes Important in Purchasing
More than one-third (35 percent) of hospitals surveyed switched suppliers to gain access to sustainable health-care products, according to a new report by Johnson & Johnson that finds hospitals are placing greater emphasis on “green” products used in patient care and throughout the facilities such as cleaning products and office ... Read more »