pfizer case study
TRANSCRIPT
Green Chemistry Innovation and Business Strategy
IE 242. Engineering green buildings: Waste, water and
EnergyTeam Members:
Ara Karo
Aren Zomorodian
Sevak MahmoudiAUA - CoE
Spr ing 2011
Tuesday, April 11, 2023 2
Company Background
• World's largest research-based pharmaceutical company
• Produces medicine both for humans and animals
• Based in New York City
• Went public in 2004
• Over $3 billion annual adverting budget
• It’s products include: Zoloft, Viagra, Advil
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
Tuesday, April 11, 2023 3
Problem Statement
• New requirements and regulations imposed by various legislative bodies concerning environmental toxins – used as active ingredient of several drugs
Problems concerning treatment of PPCP (pharmaceutical and personal care products) residues in sewage water
Sewage treatment plants not engineered for PPCP removal
Result: Occurrence of PPCP’s in the environment - endangers aquatic organisms and humans by developing pathogen resistance to antibiotics, while many other consequences are still unknown
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
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Problem Statement (cont.)
• High cost of R&D in pharmaceutical industry
• Lack of customer trust due by early 2005
• Increased attention of financial institutions and insurance companies on firm’s liabilities concerning ecological protection strategies
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
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Some FactsConcerning Pharmaceutical Waste
• About 200,000 tons of sludge produced by pharmaceutical industry only In USA during
• In USA on average a single plant generated 200 tons of acetone pollution during the production of drugs (EPA, 1998)
• Around 10 kg/capita of population per year or around 700,000 ton a year of hazardous waste generated in Saudi Arabia (UNEP, 1998)
• Ireland generates about 11,110 tons of solid pharmaceutical wastes annually (Henery et al. 1996)
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
Nemerow 1984 ; Arthur . little 1975 ; TRW Env . Engg . Div . 1979 ❑1
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Pfizer’s Green Chemistry
• An innovative manufacturing process for sertraline hydrochloride* the active ingredient of Zoloft which:
Significantly improved both worker and environmental safety
Intensely increased pollution prevention benefits:
Improved safety and material handling
Reduced energy and water use
Doubled overall product yield
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
* Pfizer had plans to apply the same principles on it’s other production lines
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Pfizer’s Green Chemistry (Cont.)
• Biologically hazardous waste mainly contaminating water and soil
75% to 80% solvents (liquid)
20% to 25% solid
• Green Chemistry process reduced the waste ratio to the API* produced by approximately 50%
• Reduced usage of some raw material and allowed them to be recycled back into production process
• Use of more selective catalyst resulting in reduced use of solvent and generated harmful byproducts
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
* Active product ingredient
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Pfizer’s Green Chemistry (Cont.)
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
Enhancement of Production Technology
× Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle
Reuse a raw material back in the production
Recyclable new catalyst
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Cradle-to-Cradle Approach
• No waste should be generated on both sides:
Pre-Consumer
All the starting materials should be reused and none of the starting materials should be disposed
Post-Consumer
All the expired medications should be reused in the reproduction process of same kind of medicine
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
Tracking Waste Generation from Production till Consumption
10
Secondary products/materi
alsWaste
products/materi
als
Raw material extraction
Raw material extraction
Production of
intermediate goods
Production of
intermediate goods
Production of final goods
Production of final goods
Final consume/use directly
in the environme
nt
Final consume/use directly
in the environme
nt
NO
N-W
AS
TE
D
OM
AIN
WA
ST
E
DO
MA
IN
Raw materials
Products, materials &
components Products
Waste Waste Waste
Collection and sortingCollection and sorting
Thermal treatmentThermal
treatmentLandfillLandfill
Waste
Final Waste
Final Waste
Operations for reuse
and recycle
Operations for reuse
and recycle
Source: “Study on the Selection of Waste Streams for End of Waste Assessment: Final Report” (IPTS, Joint Research Centre, European Commission; 2009); modified by Alen Amirkhanian for educational purposes
Pre-consumer waste
Post-consumer waste
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Possible Improvements
• Pre-Consumer Improvements:
Further enhancement of production technology - reducing, recycling and reusing
Avoiding consumer culture based approach to pharmaceutical market
• Post-Consumer Improvements:
Classifying and collecting pharmaceutical waste in special containers retuning it back to industry
Development of water treatment facilities for recollecting PPCP’s from sewage water
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
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Conclusion
• Going toward cradle-to-cradle path is also greatly beneficial to the companies rather than only being costly:
It makes the production line more efficient thus using less raw materials producing more
Can serve as a marketing strategy to attract more customers
A green customer is consider more credible in highly competitive market – Company is considered environmentally conscious
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
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Conclusion
• Obstacles for implementation:
High deployment cost of green technologies
Development of culture on the consumer side
It does not only require dedication of producer but also the consumer
Requires creativity in redesign of the whole pre and post production cycle
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry
AUA – Spring 2011 14
Thank You for Your Attention
AUA – College of EngineeringMay.28, Spring 2011
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals: Green Chemistry