The factory in Kalundborg is Novo Nordisk's largest production site. The factory was built in 1969 and is situated on the outskirts of the town in a rural area. After several extensions the factory today covers an area of 1,350,000 m². All Novo Nordisk's insulin production takes place at this factory, either by fermentation of genetically modified microorganisms or by recovery from the pancreatic glands of pigs. Enzymes , glucagon and the haemophilia preparation Factor VIIa are also produced here. Novo Nordisk employs 1,450 people in Kalundborg.

"The factory in Kalundborg is Novo Nordisk's largest production facility. The efforts we make to reduce consumption of resources as well as discharges from the factory make a big difference to the company's overall environmental performance."
From left: Jens Hartvig Jørgensen, Director, Insulin Bulk Production, Anders Brinch Larsen, Manager, Waste Management, Thomas Nagy, Director, Enzyme Fermentation Production. All three are members of Novo Nordisk's International Environmental Network.

MANAGEMENT REPORT

In 1997 the focus was on water consumption, odours, noise, enzyme dust and the development of a new concentrated fertilizer product, NovoGro^®30, from our liquid waste.

The information in the green accounts covers the major environmental aspects of the factory. The green accounts have been prepared by Environ-mental Affairs in cooperation with relevant production staff at the factory in Kalundborg.

Scarce ground water resources
In 1997, there was strong focus on our consumption of water, which increases as production expands. Sufficient quantities of clean drinking water are important both to the residents of the municipality and to our production. We have therefore cooperated closely with the Municipality of Kalundborg on finding a sustainable solution to the problem of scarce ground water resources. We seek to save water and to use surface water from Lake Tissø in as many applications as possible, e.g. cooling towers and waste water treatment plant. In relation to the size of production, consumption of potable water decreased by 20% per unit produced compared to 1995.

Noise abatement
In 1994 all sources of noise on the factory site were measured and the noise level was calculated. 19 of our 25 buildings have noise sources of significance to the external environment. In the period 1995-1997, by agreement with the County of Western Zealand, we have introduced abatement measures at a number of sources, so that our contribution to the noise level in the environment has fallen by 4-5 dB(A). In order to prevent future infringements of noise limits stringent requirements are made of all new plants, while existing facilities are subject to regular control.

Enzymes in air emissions
The fermentation plants are the main source of emissions of enzyme dust in the air. Today this air is led through a biofilter, which significantly reduces the concentration of enzyme dust. By agreement with the County, over the past four years we have performed a number of trials of further purification of fermentation emissions. These trials are taking place in conjunction with the Copenhagen factory and will be concluded and reported to the authorities in 1998.

Recycling of biomass
We have always given high priority to the recycling of biomass as fertilizer (NovoGro^®). The general regulations for recycling of organic waste products have been tightened so that as from the autumn of 1999 it will no longer be possible to spread liquid organic waste roducts during the period from October to end of January. We have therefore established a plant for concentration of the liquid biomass, NovoGro^®, into a solid fertilizer product, NovoGro^®30. During the four-month period we will produce solely the solid product, NovoGro^®30.

For the rest of the year we will produce both types of fertilizer, although the quantity of the liquid product will be adjusted to the capacity of the 70 km long pipeline system, which is the best option in environmental terms.

Process waste water
The concentration of our spent biomass has made it necessary to expand our biological treatment plant significantly.

The trials for subsequent treatment of our waste water at the Central Purification Plant of Kalundborg Municipality continued in 1997, but so far it has not been possible to reduce the nitrogen concentration to a satisfactory level. During 1998 we will decide how the factory's waste water will be treated in the future.

Complaints concerning bad odours
In 1997 we received 17 complaints from neighbours concerning odours from the factory. These odours originate primarily from treatment plants for waste water and NovoGro®. The County of Western Zealand requested us to measure odours at our recovery and biomass plants and to inspect our production facility to find new sources of odours not previously known. These investigations revealed open storage tanks for liquid NovoGro^® as the most significant source of odours.

We will therefore expand the facility producing NovoGro^®30 so that in future no liquid NovoGro^® is stored at the factory. Until this solution is established in mid-1998 we will seek not to use open storage tanks.

Accidental releases and breaches
There have been three cases of accidental releases of NovoGro^® (in total approx. 15 m³) to Kærby Stream and to various drains. In each case the spillage was recovered and therefore had no impact on the environment.

In total 33 breaches of the dosing limits for spreading NovoGro^® were registered.

Moreover, there have been three breaches of regulatory limit values for odours in the environment. The odour originates from the fermentation factories, which had problems with the operation of a biofilter, and from treatment plants for waste water and NovoGro®.

Energy
In 1997 the factory was subject to a full energy inspection. We have signed a declaration of intent to conclude an energy efficiency agreement with the Danish Energy Agency. This project will run in the period 1998-2000.

Environmental projects
In 1997 approximately DKK 78 million was invested in environmental improvements. Most of this investment was devoted to plants for treatment of biomass and waste water.

Health and safety
In order to achieve a more effective and flexible health and safety organization we have carried out an extensive reorganization in 1997. The objective is to integrate health and safety into everyday work at all levels. The establishment of local targets is now a requirement subject to supervision by senior management. See also the Health and Safety Report.

Address
Novo Nordisk A/S, Hallas Allé,
DK-4400 Kalundborg

DIV No.: 232095

Environmental supervisory authority
Municipality of Kalundborg: Waste and waste water.
County of Western Zealand: Other environmental issues

List items under Chapter 5 of the Danish Environmental Protection Act
J1 - Industrial production of protein, pectin and enzymes
J2 - Companies subject to the obligation to obtain a permit for production using genetically modified microorganisms pursuant to the Environment and Gene Technology Act

Environmental approvals
In total the factory site is covered by 21 individual environmental approvals. We also hold separate approvals for the spreading of biomass

Gene technology approvals
Five plants are each subject to a framework gene technology approval and one additional plant holds a gene technology approval

Activities

Fermentation and recovery of enzymes, insulin, glucagon and the haemophilia preparation Factor VIIa

Extraction of insulin and trypsin from pancreatic glands

• Packaging af insulin and granulation of enzymes

Significant subsidiary activities

• Plant for treatment of waste and biomass

Most significant consumption of resources and environmental impacts

• Consumption of water and energy
• Odours and enzyme dust, and handling of liquid waste (biomass and waste water)

Number of employees
1450 - administration 30%, production 70%

Water consumption: 2,586,000 m³
Energy consumption: 1,720,000 GJ
Raw materials consumption: 140,000 tons
Half of our raw materials are agricultural produce such as starch and protein and less than 4% of the total consumption of raw materials is substances which are hazardous to the environment or to health.

Liquid waste discharge

Liquid waste streams from the factory can be divided into two categories:

• Biomass comprising microorganisms, nutrient residues and water
• Waste water containing small quantities of organic material and nutrient salts

95% of the nitrogen and 97% of the phosphorus are present in the recycled waste streams.

NovoGro^®30: 61,600 tons
NovoGro®: 813,000 m³
Converted to liquid NovoGro^® the total quantity is equivalent to approximately 1,370,000 m³. NovoGro^® is the spent biomass generated from the fermentation process. It is treated with heat and lime to kill all microorganisms and inactivate product residues. NovoGro^® is used as organic agricultural fertilizer. The Kalundborg factory handles the biomass from the factories in Kalundborg, Copenhagen and Bagsværd, and the stated quantities of NovoGro^® are total figures for the three factories.

With the biomass 1,330 tons of nitrogen and 547 tons of phosphorus are recovered from the liquid waste.

Yeast slurry: 25,700 m³
Yeast slurry is the spent biomass obtained when insulin is recovered from the fermentation broth. The yeast slurry is heated to kill the yeast cells and lactic acid bacteria are added to conserve the liquid. The yeast slurry is then used as a protein-rich feed supplement for pigs. With the yeast slurry 336 tons of nitrogen and 88 tons of phosphorus are recycled.

Waste water: 1,658,000 m³
The quantity of waste water has increased by 75% from 1996 to 1997. This is not due to higher water consumption but to the dewatering of the biomass into a solid product, NovoGro^®30.

The waste water is treated in our biological purification plant so as to reduce the content of organic material and nutrient salts. The treated waste water is then led to the municipal treatment plant where most of the substances listed below are removed and the water is finally discharged from there to Jammerland Bay.

Discharges via waste water

• 365 tons suspended solids
• 963 tons COD
• 77 tons nitrogen
• 15 tons phosphorus

GMOs are also discharged into the waste water. The discharge is below the limit value of 10,000 GMOs/ml waste water as specified in the gene technology approvals.

Emission of organic solvents: 55 tons
All plants using organic solvents are equipped with recycling facilities in which the impure solvents are recovered to the greatest possible extent for reuse in processes.

In 1997 we reviewed and improved the ventilation system in one of our insulin recovery plants. This resulted in a reduction of emissions of ethanol from the plant by approximately 45%.

Emissions of enzyme dust
The enzyme concentration in the emissions from fermentation varies between 0.002 and 0.1 mg/m³. From other outlets the enzyme concentration is less than 0.003 mg/m³. There is no limit value for enzyme dust in the environment, but the Danish Environmental Protection Agency has stated that it will introduce the requirement that the enzyme concentration in the environment may not exceed "a few" nanograms (1 nanogram = 0.000001 mg). The factory's present contribution to the concentration of enzymes in the environment is approximately 10 nanograms/m³.

GMOs in air
Air emissions from the fermentation and recovery plants also contain GMOs. The discharge to the air is below the limit value of 100,000 GMOs/m³ air as specified in the gene technology approvals.

Odour
The company's emissions to the environment may not exceed 30 odour units/m³ (OU). On the basis of odour measurements in 1997, the limit value is exceeded significantly when liquid NovoGro^® is stored in open tanks on the company's premises. If the storage tanks are empty "other sources" dominate. During normal operation the production facilities contribute approximately 25 OU/m³ to the environment.

The number of odour units as such does not indicate the nuisance level of the odour since this also depends on its nature. For comparison, in an ordinary street environment 50-400 OU/m³ have been measured.

Noise
The company's contribution to the noise level outside our boundaries may not exceed 45 dB(A) during night hours.

After a period of three years in which DKK 5.3 million was invested in noise abatement at 25 sources the noise level has been reduced from max. 50 dB(A) to max. 46 dB(A) at three selected receptor points. A noise level of 45 dB(A) corresponds to the noise in a living room where there is neither music nor conversation.

Solid waste: 4,420 tons
The volume of recycled waste fell by 37% in the period 1995-1997. This is related to a decrease in the volume of glandular matter.

From 1996 to 1997 the volume of waste for controlled destruction rose by approximately 50%. This increase is related to e.g. a new stream of impure ethanol sent to the Kommunekemi treatment plant. From 1998 this waste stream will be recycled as a source of carbon in a waste water treatment plant.

Water consumption

Energy consumption

Average nutrient content of NovoGro© and NovoGro©30

Kalundborg data

Raw materials consumption

Solid waste

Green accounts for Gentofte, Denmark