· 7 min read
Pharmaceutical innovation has saved millions of lives. Yet, the same systems that produce lifesaving medicines also leave a heavy environmental footprint. From energy-intensive manufacturing to mountains of unused drugs ending up in landfills, the industry’s impacts are larger than you think.
They’re appearing across air, water, and waste streams, which place harm on public health and strain on ecosystems in ways that are easy to overlook when the spotlight is on treatments. If you care about sustainability, understanding the scale and shape of these problems is essential to reconciling health gains with planetary limits.
The carbon footprint of a pill
The carbon footprint of the pharmaceutical industry is bigger than you can expect. In 2023, the sector emitted 397 million tCO₂-e, and the totals hide a striking imbalance. Scope 3 emissions are roughly 5.4 times greater than Scope 1 and 2 combined, meaning that the industry’s life cycle impacts are concentrated far upstream and downstream of factory floors.
A quick way to make sense of where those emissions come from is the GHG Protocol’s three-scope framework:
• Scope 1: The direct emissions from sources the company owns or controls
• Scope 2: The indirect emissions from purchased energy
• Scope 3: All other indirect emissions in a company’s value chain — raw materials, contract manufacturing, transport, product use, and disposal
Framing emissions in this way highlights why the total increases once the full life cycle is considered. In practice, Scope 3 is the dominant piece of the puzzle for most drug makers. Purchased goods and services are often the largest single contributors, which is why supply chain fixes are central to any credible decarbonization plan.
Part of the reason pharma’s operational footprint is high is the energy intensity of drug manufacturing itself. Clean rooms and the HVAC systems that support aseptic production generate a significant electricity demand.
Industry benchmarking reveals that HVAC clean room systems can account for 36% to 67% of a facility’s total energy use, and clean room environments can consume significantly more energy per square foot than ordinary commercial buildings. Energy-hungry facilities — combined with a carbon-heavy upstream supply chain — help explain why a seemingly small pill can have a surprisingly large climate impact.
The risks of pharmaceutical pollution on water
The active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) behind lifesaving drugs don’t always stay inside factories or patients. APIs can enter the environment during manufacturing through wastewater and accidental spills. They can also come from improper disposal of unused medicines, and 30% to 90% via animal and human excretion. Many APIs are designed to be biologically active at low concentrations and can persist long enough in waterways to move through food webs.
Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.869332/full
Residues that end up in aquatic ecosystems are a major concern because research has linked pharmaceutical contamination to hormonal and behavioral changes in fish and other wildlife. Studies have shown it can reduce reproductive success and alter local biodiversity. Because APIs act on biological systems by design, even small concentrations can have outsized ecological effects in sensitive habitats.
Water use is another overlooked issue. Biopharmaceutical production is water-intensive. From process cooling to formulation and cleansing, sustainable water systems are essential for reducing environmental strain and pollution risk. That risk becomes urgent in a world where less than 1% of the Earth’s freshwater is safe for human consumption and water scarcity affects one in 10 people worldwide.
Finally, environmental contamination with antibiotics contributes to a growing public health threat — the selection and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in natural and engineered water systems. Tackling pharma’s footprint would reduce ecological harm and the risk that medicines themselves will undermine future health.
The landfill problem of medical waste
Single-use plastics are everywhere in health care — from IV bags and syringes to protective gear. These items are disposed of in the medical field to minimize the risk of infection. Yet, that convenience comes at a cost.
Many medical plastics are contaminated or mixed with other biohazardous materials, making them difficult or impossible to recycle through standard municipal waste streams. As a result, large volumes of plastic and single-use components end up in landfills, adding to long-term waste and pollution burdens.
Household pharmaceuticals are a different but relevant problem. A survey found that two-thirds of prescription drugs are unused or expired in American households. 29% toss them in the trash, while 26% flush them down toilets.
This solid waste creates pathways for drugs to enter landfill leachate or wastewater systems. Even in small concentrations, active ingredients can persist in the environment and complicate water treatment, so better disposal options matter more than most realize.
Innovative solutions to a greener pharmacy
Fixing pharma’s environmental footprint requires redesigning chemistry, tightening manufacturing, rethinking materials and holding companies accountable. The following approaches are practical levers to cut pollution, energy, and water use while keeping medicines safe and effective.
Green chemistry principles
Because drugs must be chemically stable enough to survive the body and resist metabolism before they reach their intended target, this same stability can also make them persistent pollutants in waterways. Designing drugs with the environment in mind flips that problem. Chemists could aim for molecules and synthesis routes that keep therapeutic activity but break down into harmless components after use.
Tactics include using biodegradable linkers or prodrugs that break down after their therapeutic effect, selecting synthesis routes with minimal toxic solvents, and favoring formulations more compatible with wastewater treatment. These strategies cut hazardous waste and lower the risk of medicines lingering in ecosystems.
Sustainable manufacturing practices
On the plant floor, continuous manufacturing is one of the most effective changes a company can make. Instead of running large batch campaigns, you can reduce material waste and energy consumption by operating processes more steadily and efficiently. That streamlined footprint also makes it easier to integrate heat recovery and automation, so the same output can be produced with less water and electricity.
As climate risks grow and scientists warn that surpassing 1.5° Celsius could trigger tipping points that strain water and supply systems, efficiency and resilience measures serve as essential risk-management steps to cut emissions and pollution.
Circular economy models
The industry can also reduce waste through better design and end-of-life systems. However, designing for circularity starts with the product itself. Packaging and devices should be chosen so they’re recyclable or reprocessable wherever safety allows. That means designing single-use devices that can be disassembled and sterilized for reuse when clinically appropriate.
At the consumer end, formal take-back programs, pharmacy drop-offs, and mail-back systems make it easy for people to return unused medicines and contaminated components instead of trashing them. This strategy would reduce landfill inputs and stop active ingredients from leaking into waste.
Corporate accountability and ESG
Technical solutions are important, but companies move faster when incentives and transparency align. Clear environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets, verified emissions reporting, and procurement policies that reward low-carbon inputs create the market pull for greener practices. Investors and regulators can accelerate adoption by prioritizing companies that transparently reduce their environmental footprint throughout their life cycle.
A healthier planet for healthier people
Pharmaceuticals have helped millions, but the industry’s emissions and mounting waste reveal that these benefits come with clear environmental costs. The biggest wins come from looking beyond factory walls, as most of the impact occurs throughout the full life cycle.
You can also help by being mindful about how you dispose of medicines and favor companies that are transparent about their emissions and waste. With clearer rules, smarter design, and sustained pressure from buyers and investors, pharma can protect both human health and the planet.
illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.
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