Emissions to air and water

EMISSIONS TO AIR

Information regarding emissions to air associated with our Carbon footprint and Ozone Depletion are discussed in other sections.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are released to air primarily from the use of solvents in manufacturing processes and research and development activities. Emissions of VOCs to air can give rise to ground level ozone due to the action of UV light. The effects of ground level ozone act at a regional level. Elevated levels may be a health hazard and have an adverse effect on plant life. Some VOCs are also greenhouse gases and may contribute to climate change. Reporting of our consumption and emission of VOCs is divided into two categories; non-halogenated VOCs that account for the majority of our use and halogenated VOCs that are generally considered to have a higher environmental impact.

Solvents are recycled and reused as much as possible at our main manufacturing facilities to minimise the amounts of fresh solvent consumed. We also minimise emissions to air by using VOC abatement equipment including technologies such as catalytic oxidation, low-temperature cryogenic condensation and adsorption of pollutants on activated carbon.

Emissions of other air pollutants (for example NOx, SOx and particulates) are monitored locally at our sites where this is relevant. Quantities are not tracked globally because emission of these pollutants from our activities is insignificant at a company level.

Our performance

During 2008 our facilities used 14 thousand tonnes of solvents, a decrease of 21% from 2007. Emissions of VOCs over the same period totalled 299 tonnes, an increase of 27% from 2007. Despite this increase, our emissions represent a very small fraction (<3%) of the total amount of consumed solvent.

Halogenated solvent use (509 tonnes) and related VOC emissions (14 tonnes) make up a small portion of these totals. 

EMISSIONS TO WATER

All of our facilities use water and subsequently discharge wastewater to be treated either on site or by municipalities. We measure both the total volume of our effluents, primarily from R&D and manufacturing activities, and their potential to impact the aquatic environment. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is essentially a laboratory test to determine whether or not a specific wastewater will have a significant adverse effect upon aquatic plant life or animals. The COD test determines the aggregate impact of any organic pollutants present, making COD a useful non-specific measure of water quality. See the Biodiversity, land and water use section for more details about our water use.

Consistent with our commitment to product stewardship, we are pursuing efforts to minimise the amounts of any pollutants including our products being released into the environment in effluent discharges from our facilities. For more information, visit the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment section.

Our performance

Discharged organic material from our sites expressed as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) decreased by 14% from 2007 to 2008 and amounted to 453 tonnes.