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Success Stories - Medical
Success Stories
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Allergan, Inc. – Irvine, CA
Allergan, Inc., a global specialty pharmaceutical company, made packaging changes that resulted in a reduction of nearly 68 tons of boxboard, saving $20,000. The company also reduced package weights for intraocular lenses and tablet blisters. Light weighting of this packaging reduced boxboard by nearly 188 tons and PVC plastic by more than 66 tons and saved Allergan $2.3 million. The company also recycled an impressive 1,000 tons of corrugated boxes, 815 tons of HDPE plastic, and 350 tons of copier paper. Recycling rates were up 18 percent compared with 1999 levels, with estimated cost savings at $339,462 for 2000.
Allergan, Inc. understands the importance of the connection between waste reduction and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Since 1996, Allergan has conducted an annual GHG emissions inventory as part of its resource conservation plan to determine the company’s largest GHG emitters. In 2005, Allergan factored its waste reduction practices into the inventory with the help of the WasteWise program’s Climate Profile. Through activities such as recycling and reducing packaging, Allergan lowered its GHG emissions by more than 1,400 metric tons of carbon equivalent, which is equivalent to the annual power consumption of more than 650 households.
Allergan, Inc. understands the connection between waste reduction and climate change and educates its employees on this important link. On Earth Day, for example, Allergan explained the connection to employees. In 2001, as a result of the company’s waste reduction efforts, Allergan reduced GHG emissions by 1,765 MTCEs—equivalent to the amount of emissions produced from 1,300 cars each year. Additionally, the company’s comprehensive communications plan includes discussion of the climate-waste link. How did Allergan first become aware of the connection? Michael Whaley, Allergan’s director of environmental health and safety, notes that “The WasteWise estimates of GHG emissions reductions were the first quantifications we received directly attributable to our actions.” Allergan shares EPA’s estimate of reductions, generated by EPA’s WAste Reduction Model (WARM), with management as well as with environmental health and safety managers at each site. Allergan encourages all WasteWise Partners to consider the climate-waste link as part of their communication efforts. Look for your WARM reports in the mail—all Partners reporting 2001 data will soon receive notice of their organization’s contribution to reducing GHG emissions via waste reduction efforts.
Millipore Corporation - MA
Millipore Corporation donated 5 tons of 9x12 white booklet envelopes to local and regional schools. The company also sold 69 tons of office furniture and industrial equipment for reuse, saving $5,934. Millipore also implemented a wooden pallet reuse program in 2000. They achieved an increase in its recycling rate from 32 percent in 1999, to nearly 44 percent in 2000. The company also recycled 142.4 tons of wood, 13.3 tons of magazines, 3.7 tons of computer paper, and 1 ton of PET plastic. Cost savings resulting from the company’s recycling program were significant—$12,000 for recycled wood alone. Closing the recycling loop was also a priority for the company with recycled-content purchases of $161,747 in 2000.
In 2001, Millipore Corporation donated 4.5 tons of electronics equipment (computers, monitors, and printers) to local and regional schools and third-world countries. Not only did the donation fill a local and international need, the corporation saved nearly $3,000 in avoided disposal costs. Millipore saved an additional $2,200 by donating 5 tons of used office furniture and industrial equipment, and purchased 518 tons of corrugated material manufactured with 22 percent recycled-content material. Millipore Corporation also continued its excellence in its recycling collection activities, collecting 295.5 tons of corrugated containers, 62 tons of paper, 60 tons of plastic, 71 tons of metal, more than 6 tons of polypropylene, 366 tons of wood, and 270 pounds of ink.
PARI Innovative Manufacturers, Inc.
PARI Innovative Manufacturers, Inc. continues to explore options to reuse transport containers to ship materials and products. The company uses reusable corrugated containers to ship materials between vendors and its manufacturing facility in Midlothian, Virginia, and also between Midlothian and an assembly facility in Mexico. When the boxes can no longer be used, they are broken down and returned to the vendor for reuse. PARI also uses reusable wooden pallets for shipping. To reduce paper consumption, the company emphasized electronic communication by distributing company newsletters electronically, consolidating reports, and using electronic documents. The company emphasizes “pre-cycling”—evaluating a product’s packaging before purchasing—and encourages employees to bring newspapers and cans from home for recycling. In addition, it returns cartridges for photocopy and fax machines to the manufacturer to be refurbished or recycled.