Green Manufacturing for a Sustainable Future
In the pharmaceutical industry, manufacturing is often complex and varies significantly between formulations. Developing environmentally friendly processes remains challenging and requires careful attention to safety and product quality. There is urgency for the industry to adopt cleaner, more sustainable practices without compromising on efficiency or supply continuity.
Today, more pharmaceutical companies are embracing sustainability by integrating green chemistry, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing technologies. These strategies not only reduce environmental impact but also reduce costs and enhance operational resilience.
The Environmental Cost of Drug Development
Pharmaceutical production can generate significant waste. For every kilogram of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) produced, up to 100 kg of additional material such as solvents, reagents, and byproducts, may be consumed or discarded. This not only poses environmental hazards but also increases the cost of waste management.
By using greener development pathways, water-based or solvent-free formulations, pharmaceutical companies can drastically reduce waste output. Adoption of closed-loop water systems and advanced solvent recovery technologies also play a key role in cutting emissions and preserving resources.
Economic and Environmental Wins through Innovation
Technologies such as continuous manufacturing and digital twins allow for real-time process optimisation, reducing batch failures, improving yields, and conserving energy and raw materials. These innovations reduce downtime and enhance scalability.
Merlin can help with compaction science, which is one such example of smart, sustainable innovation. Originally compaction simulators were developed to mitigate risks in tablet production and now play a critical role across all stages of formulation. A hydraulic press replicates industrial tablet compression using minimal material, identifying performance issues early and reducing the need for costly full-scale trials.
