The Green Imperative:Part One: Life-Cycle Assessment and Sustainabilityfor Single-Use Technologies in the Biopharmaceutical Industry

摘要

Much has changed since large-scale single-use biomanufacturing equipment was introduced some 15 years ago. Since then, these materials have become accepted and established in production and downstream bioprocessing. Concerns about the environmental impact of single-use (SU) biomanufacturing equipment have become more prevalent as our environmental awareness has increased and related concerns have become more urgent (l). For example, many recommendations and even laws have emerged regarding plastic convenience packaging and products (2,3). People have become more sophisticated in appreciating the distinctions and tradeoffs in the pressures upon our air, water, and land. And we appreciate that, beyond passion and resolve, a science-based approach is required to design strategies for a circular economy. We must better understand the implicationsof industrial activities to reduce environmental stress caused by manufacturing, use, and disposal of single-use biomanufacturing equipment. Tools such as life cycle assessment (LCA) evaluate the absolute and relative effects of each manufacturing platform type on very specific categories of environmental stress (a). Industry must address concerns exposed by such analysis, and it needs to evaluate its activities and products to identify areas for further improvement.