Brems, Yannik, Lapkin, Alexei and Baeyens, Jan (2012) Pollution prevention in the pharmaceutical industry. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering . pp. 1-8. doi:10.1080/19397038.2012.730070

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Abstract

The pharmaceutical industry traditionally uses complex batch-type processes in the manufacture of medicines, although the production of specific medicines by continuous processes is currently envisaged. Due to the diversity of these processes, it is difficult to define a general set of waste prevention guidelines that would apply to all drug manufacturing. The most applicable methods of prevention can, however, be delineated for each of the five steps in the pharmaceutical manufacturing, i.e. (i) research and development, (ii) chemical synthesis, (iii) natural product extraction, (iv) fermentation and (v) product formulation. Waste streams generally arise from cleaning and sterilising equipment, chemical spills, rejected by-products and the processes themselves. Prevention mainly involves waste reduction by materials substitution, process modification/optimisation, waste stream segregation and solvent waste recycling. These measures are assessed and lead to guidelines for waste minimisation methods according to the waste streams under scrutiny.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Engineering
Journal or Publication Title:	International Journal of Sustainable Engineering
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis Ltd.
ISSN:	1939-7038
Official Date:	2012
Dates:	Date Event 2012 Published
Page Range:	pp. 1-8
DOI:	10.1080/19397038.2012.730070
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Description:	online first

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