Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company: The World's Largest Pharmaceutical Company

Water Use and Conservation

The pollution and over-use of water — an essential element to life and a vital part of the Earth’s ecosystem — has a serious impact on our way of life and on the lives of all creatures. In fact, the availability of clean potable water is likely one of the most important health issues of our time and one that may be further exacerbated in coming years by climate change. In addition, the presence of pharmaceuticals and their metabolic by-products in the environment is an emerging issue of concern — one that further challenges pharmaceutical companies to understand the impact, if any, to the environment.

While several studies indicate that trace concentrations of pharmaceuticals in surface and drinking water present no significant risk to human health1 and scientists do not believe there is a potential for acute environmental impact, the potential for long-term effects is still under investigation. As such, Pfizer is committed to conserving and reusing water, reducing our contribution to water pollution, and furthering the understanding of the potential impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment in order to ensure a clean water supply.

1For example, Human pharmaceuticals in U.S. surface waters: A human health risk assessment, Schwab, et al. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, Volume 42, Issue 3, Pages 296-312 (August 2005).

Goals and Commitments:

  • To conserve water throughout our organization.
  • To assure that our manufacturing processes minimize wastewater and that discharges are controlled appropriately.
  • To actively participate in efforts to advance the understanding of the impacts of pharmaceuticals in the environment.

Programs and Actions:

  • EHS Guideline on Water Conservation: Reviewing and quantifying water use; identifying and prioritizing water conservation measures; developing, implementing and reporting on water conservation action plans and targets; and supporting community efforts during drought conditions.
  • Efforts to Ensure Patient and Environmental Safety of our Pharmaceuticals: Using the extensive safety data collected during the development of new products to verify that trace levels of pharmaceuticals that make their way into rivers, streams and other surface water will not have a significant human health or environmental effect.
  • Green Chemistry Program: Applying environmentally friendly Green Chemistry (GC) principles to improve the way we produce many products, resulting in substantial waste reduction and cost savings. In fact, Pfizer has remained at the forefront of developing and manufacturing drugs using GC practices and has won awards for its environmental efforts.
  • Partnerships to Find a Science-Based Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment: Working with partners in the pharmaceutical industry and academic community to better understand the potential impacts of pharmaceuticals in the environment.
  • Disposal Options: Partnering with other pharmaceutical companies and government agencies to further explore unused medicine disposal options.
  • Take-Back Programs: Participating in product take-back programs in countries (including the member states of the European Union) that have initiated them.
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Did You Know?

Pfizer was an active participant in the pharmaceutical industry's development of the PhATE model—a scientific tool that can be used to more realistically estimate the concentration and distribution of active pharmaceutical ingredients discharged into U.S. surface waters.