Pfizer Case Study

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


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



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



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)


Nemerow 1984 ; Arthur . little 1975 ; TRW Env . Engg . Div . 1979 ❑1


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 had plans to apply the same principles on it’s other production lines


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


* Active product ingredient


Pfizer’s Green Chemistry (Cont.)


Enhancement of Production Technology

× Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle

Reuse a raw material back in the production

Recyclable new catalyst


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


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


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



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



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


AUA – Spring 2011 14

Thank You for Your Attention

AUA – College of EngineeringMay.28, Spring 2011


Health & Medicine

Pfizer Case Study