Processes, impacts and indicators

The focus of our reporting practice over the years has been on the environmental performance of our production processes. This is where the majority of our environmental impacts are generated. Our basic production, involving fermentation and recovery processes, accounts for around 60-70% of our total consumption of water, energy and raw materials. This type of production gives rise to large quantities of nutrient-rich liquid waste and energy-derived emissions from both internal use of energy and from the generation of energy by suppliers.

Our products provide benefits to society in terms of improved environmental performance for our enzyme customers and an increased quality of life experienced by patients using our pharmaceuticals. The possibility of developing indicators of the efficiency of our products in use and of their effects on the quality of life will be evaluated over the coming years.

The diagram on the left outlines the various stages of our operations, from research and development through production to the final distribution of products to our customers. The table below gives an overview of the major environmental impacts of our operations and the indicators we use for reporting.

Environmental considerations must be integrated into every stage of our product development, manufacturing, use and final disposal

	Research and development
	Integration of environmental considerations is very important at this stage. Continuous efforts are made to develop our processes so as to improve productivity and environmental performance through:
	Development of production organisms capable of producing high yields
	Introduction of environmentally sound raw materials and substitution of hazardous substances
	Continuous improvement of fermentation and recovery processes to increase product output per unit of resources consumed

	Basic production
	Around 60-70% of our total consumption of water, energy and raw materials is used dur ing the fermentation and recovery processes
	We have implemented water and energy saving programmes and are measuring performance by eco-productivity indices for a more efficient utilization of resources
	Large quantities of nutrient-rich liquid waste are generated

	Formulation, finishing and packaging
	Water and energy-saving programmes are being implemented
	Development of environmentally sound packaging materials together with suppliers

	Transport
	Fuel consumption and emissions to be evaluated
	Cooperation with suppliers
	End-use by customer/consumer and final disposal

	Environmental assessments of products, including life-cycle assesments

Environmental impacts and indicators

Inputs Outputs	Environmental impact	Indicator

Water	Potential water shortage	Total water consumption (m³)
		Eco-productivity for water

Water + raw materials
Spent biomass & waste water	Potential eutrophication	Total amounts of spent biomass and waste water (m³)
		Eutrophication potential
		Nitrogen and phosphorus discharged (tons) and recycled (%)

Raw materials		Total raw materials consumption (tons)
		Renewable agricultural materials (%) inside cover

Solid waste	Potential ground water and soil pollution	Total amount (tons)
		Categorized by disposal form (%)

Air emissions	Potential odour nuisance	Complaints from neighbours
		Compliance with regulatory limit values

Ozone-depleting substances	Ozone depletion	Ozone-depleting potential (CFC11-eqv.)

GMOs
GMOs in air, waste water and solid waste	No environmental risk¹⁾	Compliance with regulatory limit values

Energy		Total energy consumption (GJ)
		Eco-productivity for energy

Energy-related air emissions:
CO₂	Global warming	Global warming potential (CO₂-eqv.)
SO₂	Acidification	Acidification potential (SO₂-eqv.)
NO_x	Eutrophication & acidification	Eutrophication potential (NO₃-eqv.)

Packaging materials		Total amount of packaging used respectively in Health Care and Enzyme Business

¹⁾ As our GMOs are characterized as safe, i.e. presenting no risk to human beings or to the environment, the environmental authorities have approved the release of a limited number from our production processes.


	The production process - explained

Progress in 1998

Product stewardship and supply management