Around the world, waste generation rates are rising, posing a significant challenge to people and the environment. Businesses can play their part through a more effective and efficient use of materials which results in lower costs and less waste.
Our waste generation primarily comes from our production sites. Our largest production site is located in Denmark, where the largest amount of waste is generated. The environmental impact of waste depends on the way it is disposed, and can include CO2 emissions related to incineration or effects on local ecosystems from landfilling.
We strive to reduce waste generation and continuously increase the amount of waste reused and recycled.
As a part of the Circular for Zero environmental strategy, Novo Nordisk will work towards reducing the number of products ending up in landfill. This will be achieved through product stewardship initiatives and ensure that efficient processes are established for converting product waste into valuable resources.
We closely monitor waste from production. We use an internal reporting system to understand what type of waste is being produced.
As part of our Environmental Management system, waste projects are
conducted at production sites. We have implemented innovative
solutions to waste issues, such as recycling ethanol and creating
biogas from organic residues.
In collaboration with partners, we are establishing a biogas plant near our insulin plant in Kalundborg, Denmark. This biogas plant will use the fermentation slurry from our Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) production to generate biogas, which will replace natural gas for our production at other locations. The plant will start production in 2018. This is one of many initiatives in the Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis where the residual product of one enterprise is used as a resource by another enterprise.
We are also recycling waste from our pen production. The majority of waste from pen production is recycled and we are working to find solutions for the remaining part.
In collaboration with partners, we established a biogas plant near our insulin plant in Kalundborg, Denmark in 2018. This biogas plant will use the fermentation slurry from our Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) production to generate biogas, which will replace natural gas for our production at other locations. The digested slurry is used as fertiliser at local farmland. This is one of many initiatives in the Kalundborg Industrial Symbiosis where the residual product of one enterprise is used as a resource by another enterprise.
We are also recycling waste from our pen production. The majority of waste from pen production is recycled and we are working to find solutions for the remaining part.
As a part of the Circular for Zero environmental strategy, Novo Nordisk will pursue zero waste to landfill, increase recycling and strengthen the end-use of waste, based on circular principles.
To reduce our environmental impact, we work with the principles of circular economy. We consider resource efficiency and ultimately zero waste as a way to promote innovation, reduce costs and minimise environmental impacts across our value chain. This is in line with our commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goal Number 12 to ensure responsible consumption and production patterns.
The principles of circular economy help us adopt a life cycle approach in decision making, e.g. when developing new products.
See our position on circular economy
We engage with stakeholders for example via the Kalundborg
Industrial Symbiosis, where by-products and resources (energy, water
and material streams) are exchanged between other companies in the
region. More information about the Kalundborg Industrial
Symbiosis can be found here.
We continue to monitor and report on the amount, types and disposal methods for waste from our production.
The amount of waste has decreased by 10% from 2017 to 2018 due to a decrease in the organic residues from the fermentation of insulin. 94% of the total waste is recycled, used for biogas production or incinerated at plants where the energy is used for heat and power production. 1% ends up in landfill.
Source: Novo Nordisk Annual Report 2018
More details about waste types and amounts can be found in the Novo Nordisk Annual Report 2018.
