How to Achieve Sustainable Manufacturing of Pharmaceuticals and Beyond?

Torsten Stelzer, PhD
Professor 
University of Puerto Rico

Seminar Abstract: Sustainability is one of the grand challenges humanity is facing. Pollution and greenhouse gas emissions harm our health and the planet. Climate change effects will cause 250K death/year between 2030-2050 and introduce hazardous climate events that impact key socioeconomic systems, e.g., (i) livability and workability, (ii) supply of food, water, and energy, as well as (iii) infrastructure, causing enormous costs to the global economy. The chemical manufacturing industry, including pharma, with its sole dependency on petro-based resources, as well as high energy consumption, and generation of huge waste amounts is one of the biggest contributor to emissions. Despite strong developments in modernizing chemical manufacturing for fine and specialty chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, current manufacturing approaches are unfit to address the sustainability, socioeconomic, and geographical needs globally. The chemical manufacturing future lies in a circular economy and a renewable bio-derived strategy (bioeconomy) that uses end-to-end, continuous, modular settings. We will discuss existingchallenges and opportunities for disruptive ways to feed the pharmaceutical industry with innovative manufacturing process and technology designs. Though focused on pharmaceuticals, the science and innovations advanced by Dr. Stelzer apply to other chemical manufacturing industries where advanced manufacturing and process intensification are key. Ultimately, these highly collaborative research efforts urgently address the global initiatives to transform chemical manufacturing to a sustainable circular (bio)economy.