Waste Reduction & Circularity
Minimizing waste across our operations through material recovery, recycling, and building circular material flows in pharmaceutical packaging.
UNDERSTANDING
Understanding Our Waste Streams
Effective waste reduction starts with a clear understanding of where waste is generated and what it consists of. Pharmaceutical contract packaging produces several distinct waste streams, each with different recovery and recycling opportunities.
Packaging Material Scrap
Off-cuts, trim waste, and startup scrap from PVC, PVdC, aluminum foil, carton board, and label stock generated during normal production runs. This is typically the largest waste stream by volume in a pharmaceutical packaging operation.
Corrupted and Rejected Product
Finished or in-process product rejected during quality inspection, including misfilled blisters, misprinted cartons, out-of-specification units, and expired clinical trial materials requiring documented destruction.
Single-Use Cleanroom Consumables
Gowning materials, gloves, wipes, mop heads, and other disposable items required for controlled environment operations. These materials cannot typically be recycled due to contamination concerns.
General Facility Waste
Office waste, cafeteria waste, pallets, stretch wrap, corrugated shipping containers, and other non-production waste generated across all facilities.
Hazardous Waste
Cleaning solvents, isopropyl alcohol, equipment cleaning residues, and other regulated waste streams that require compliant handling, manifesting, and disposal through licensed hazardous waste contractors.
TARGET
Landfill Diversion Target: 90% by 2028
Meridan has established a target of achieving a 90% landfill diversion rate across all three facilities by 2028. This means that by that date, no more than 10% of the total waste generated by our operations should be sent to landfill. The remaining 90% would be diverted through recycling, composting, waste-to-energy conversion, or other recovery pathways.
We are currently in the process of establishing baseline waste measurements at all facilities. Each facility is conducting waste audits to quantify waste generation by stream, identify current diversion rates, and pinpoint the highest-impact opportunities for improvement. This baseline data is expected to be complete by the end of 2025 and will be used to set interim annual targets on the path to 90% diversion.
We are honest about the fact that we do not yet have comprehensive waste data across all sites. The legacy operations that now make up Meridan had different waste tracking practices, and building a unified measurement system is an active project. We believe that establishing accurate baselines is more important than publishing premature numbers.
PROGRAMS
Waste Reduction Programs
Active and planned programs across material recovery, waste-to-energy, hazardous waste management, and single-use reduction.
Material Segregation and Recycling
- PVC and PVdC film scrap segregation and recycling through specialized plastics recyclers
- Aluminum foil recovery and recycling program at all blister packaging facilities
- Corrugated cardboard and carton board baling and recycling
- HDPE bottle and closure scrap collection and recycling
- Stretch wrap and poly film recycling across all shipping and receiving areas
- Paper and office material recycling programs at all facilities
Waste-to-Energy Partnerships
- Evaluating waste-to-energy partnerships for non-recyclable waste streams
- Exploring refuse-derived fuel programs for mixed plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled
- Assessing local waste-to-energy facility availability near each Meridan location
Hazardous Waste Management
- Fully compliant hazardous waste handling, storage, and disposal at all facilities
- Licensed hazardous waste contractors with documented chain of custody
- Solvent recovery and recycling programs to reduce virgin solvent consumption
- Ongoing evaluation of cleaning process alternatives that reduce hazardous waste generation
- Employee training programs on proper hazardous waste identification and segregation
Single-Use Reduction
- Evaluating reusable gowning alternatives for controlled environment operations where regulatory requirements permit
- Assessing autoclavable cleanroom wipe systems to replace single-use consumables
- Working with suppliers to reduce packaging on incoming cleanroom consumable shipments
DATA
Measurement & Reporting
Baseline waste measurement is currently underway across all three Meridan facilities. Each site is conducting detailed waste audits to characterize waste streams by material type, volume, and current disposal method. This work is being coordinated centrally to ensure consistent methodology and comparable results across the platform.
Once baseline measurements are complete, Meridan intends to publish key waste metrics including total waste generated, landfill diversion rates, recycling rates by material type, and hazardous waste volumes. These metrics will be reported on an annual basis and made available to customers through direct reporting and ESG questionnaire responses.
We are also evaluating waste management software platforms that can integrate with our operations to provide real-time waste tracking, automated reporting, and trend analysis. Accurate, timely data is essential for identifying reduction opportunities and demonstrating progress to customers and stakeholders.
Waste Reduction Inquiries
For questions about Meridan's waste reduction programs, recycling initiatives, or waste data, contact our team.