Environmental footprint
Novo Nordisk has been focusing on its use of resources, emissions, waste and legal compliance since 1975. Even though environmental reporting, target-setting and improvement measures, have for years been an integral way of how we do business, we are still able to reduce our environmental footprint. Going forward, more emphasis will be placed on pollution prevention through sustainable design of processes and products.
In the case of Novo Nordisk, the environmental impact of products is highest in the production phase, and the production of pharmaceuticals is resource-intensive, particularly in terms of water and energy.
The company's influence on the environmental impact of its activities decreases through the products' life cycle. Once the processes and products have been designed and validated, the interventions that can be carried out are minimal. It is therefore vital that environmental considerations are integrated into the development and design of new manufacturing processes and products.
Novo Nordisk Product Supply is well underway with implementing cLEAN® – an adapted LEAN manufacturing programme that aims at optimising process flow and increasing productivity. In other words, cLEAN® leads to better utilisation of production facilities, water, energy and raw materials, thereby reducing the environmental impacts per produced unit and making it possible to postpone expansion of production facilities. However, there is a limit to how much optimisation can achieve. This is why design of processes and products becomes fundamentally important.
Pollution prevention
Management of pollution through development, implementation and certification of management systems has become common practice in environmental management. In recent years, the debate has shifted from pollution management to pollution prevention. Greater emphasis is placed on preventing pollution through better design of the product, choice of sound raw materials and design of processes. While eco-efficiency can deliver incremental improvements in use of resources and environmental impact, major improvements in resource efficiency can only be achieved through sustainable design of our processes and products. Focusing on resource use reduces the risk of resource depletion at one end and pollution at the other end. This results in lower costs for both business and society.
Environmentally sound products and processes
Two focus groups (EnviroProcess and EnviroDevice) work to promote the integration of environmental issues into the design of drug-manufacturing processes and also the development and design of new devices. The EnviroProcess group has been established with the aim of developing an environmental assessment toolbox for all drug manufacturing-related R&D projects. Development and implementation of the toolbox has started in 2006 and will continue in 2007. The main areas addressed in the toolbox are energy, water, chemicals and waste. Parallel to this, the EnviroDevice group has been established to handle medical devices, packaging and associated environmental impacts.
Environmental data
The environmental data comprise inputs and outputs such as consumption of water, energy and raw materials, spent biomass, emissions and waste. In addition, information is provided on environmental impact potentials.
Since 1994 the validity of these data has been assured by independent assurance providers in accordance with the Novo Nordisk Way of Management. Read more about the assurance process.
Novo Nordisk’s environmental footprint
Compliance data
In 2006 Novo Nordisk continued to be challenged on compliance. The number of accidental releases increased from 104 in 2005 to 134 in 2006. On the other hand, we have experienced a significant decrease in the number of breaches of regulatory limit values, from 174 in 2005 to 122 in 2006. Furthermore, the number of complaints over nuisances from Novo Nordisk’s activities has decreased from 16 in 2005 to only three in 2006. For more information please see the article ‘Environmental management’.
Input
Input includes consumption of raw materials and packaging, water and energy for Novo Nordisk’s production sites worldwide.
Raw materials and packaging
The total volume of raw materials and packaging increased from 135,057 tons in 2005 to 143,317 tons in 2006, an increase of 6%. Consumption of raw materials increased by 5% from 127,521 tons to 133,622 tons and consumption of packaging materials increased by 22% from 7,536 tons to 9,695 tons. The development in raw material consumption is significantly less than the development in production, while the development for packaging reflects the increased production volume.
Water
Water consumption went down from 3,014,000 m3 in 2005 to 2,995,000 m3 in 2006, a slight decrease of 1%.
Energy
Energy consumption went down from 2,718,000 GJ in 2005 to 2,666,000 GJ in 2006, a decrease of 2%.
Novo Nordisk's emission profile
The figures below show Novo Nordisk's energy consumption profile, with approximately 70% of the energy supplied by external energy producers based on the figures for 2006:
Energy from external production:
Energy from internal production (ie on site)
Output
Output includes emissions to air, waste water and waste from Novo Nordisk’s production sites worldwide. In addition, a section on distribution is included.
Emissions to air
Emissions to air of organic solvents decreased from 124 tons in 2005 to 102 tons in 2006, a decrease of 18%, which is primarily due to the closure of an insulin purification factory in Denmark (Bagsværd). The organic solvents consist of ethanol (77%), isopropanol (13%) and acetone (10%).
Of energy-related emissions, CO2 increased from 228,000 tons in 2005 to 235,000 tons in 2006, corresponding to a 3% increase. SO2 increased by 21% from 229 to 276 tons and NOx increased 8% from 378 to 409 tons. The increases in SO2 and NOx are primarily due to increased emissions from the production sites in Kalundborg (DK), Clayton (USA) and Tianjin (China), partly counterbalanced by reduced emissions from Bagsværd (DK).
As of 2005 Novo Nordisk has applied a new method for calculating energy-related emissions. Under the new method, energy-related emissions are calculated by multiplying the consumption of fuel and/or external energy in the actual year with corresponding average emission factors for the preceding three years. The average emission factors for calculation of 2006 emissions are based on the period 2003–2005.
This method is in compliance with the GHG Protocol and approved by WWF as a basis for Novo Nordisk's participation in the Climate Savers programme.
For more data on emissions to air and environmental impacts, please see the interactive charts:
- Acidification potential (SO2 -equivalents)
- Global warming potential (CO2 -equivalents)
- Ozone-depleting potential (CFC11 -equivalents)
- Organic solvents
Waste water
The total amount of waste water increased from 2,549,000 m3 in 2005 to 2,584,000 m3 in 2006, a slight increase of 1%. In the same period, the discharged amount of COD decreased from 1,303 tons to 955 tons, corresponding to a 27% decrease. For nitrogen (N) the amount decreased from 126 tons to 101 tons, a 20% decrease. For phosphorus (P), the discharged amount has been reduced from 22 tons to18 tons, corresponding to a decrease of 18%. The significant reductions in COD, N and P are partly due to the improved efficiency of Novozymes' waste water treatment plant in Kalundborg and the closure of the insulin purification factory in Bagsværd.
For more data on waste water, please see:
Waste water discharged to sewage systems
Waste
The total amount of waste has increased from 23,776 tons in 2005 to 24,066 tons in 2006 corresponding to a minor increase of 1%. This development covers a 17% increase of hazardous waste from 11,631 tons to 13,571 tons, counterbalanced by a 13% decrease in non-hazardous waste from 12,145 tons to 10,594 tons. The increase in hazardous waste is mainly due to contaminated soil in Kalundborg. The decrease in non-hazardous waste is mainly due to a decrease in a waste water fraction from Site Hillerød, which has been sent for special treatment due to precautionary considerations.
See data on homogeneous by-products:
- Yeast cream
- NovoGro® used as fertiliser
Distribution
Producing pharmaceutical products for the world market is highly dependent on transport, which has environmental impacts from atmospheric emissions of eg CO2, CO, SO2, NOx and hydrocarbons originating from combustion of fossil fuels.These emissions contribute to environmental impacts such as global warming, acidification and photochemical smog. In accordance with the company's Environmental and Purchasing Policies, since 2000 environmental considerations have been an integral part of the annual evaluation of the transport companies used as suppliers.
Novo Nordisk uses various modes of transport to ship its materials from Denmark. However, while some data are available, these do not paint a complete picture because they do not account for all goods transported around the world.
Transport is a focus area in the revised environmental strategy. A focus group is currently investigating the environmental impact resulting from Novo Nordisk’s transport activities.
This page has been assessed by PricewaterhouseCoopers as part of its assessment of Novo Nordisk’s statement that it reports ‘in accordance’ with GRI. Please refer to Audit and assurance for a full description of the nature of assurance offered.
