Print（PDF/173KB） Nov. 20, 2023 Sustainability

Sumitomo Pharma and ORIX Eco Services to Collaborate on Recycling Blister Packaging Waste at Suzuka Plant

Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; Representative Director, President and CEO: Hiroshi Nomura; “Sumitomo Pharma”) announced today that it has agreed with ORIX Eco Services Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President: Hidetaka Yamashita; “ORIX Eco Services”) to collaborate in an initiative to recycle blister packaging waste generated in the packaging process for prescription pharmaceuticals manufactured by Sumitomo Pharma.

On May 11, 2023, ORIX Eco Services became the first company in Japan to obtain an industrial waste disposal license for the stripping of blister packaging waste and other materials. Blister packaging is used for the packaging of prescription pharmaceuticals and blister packaging waste was previously incinerated. By separating the plastic from the aluminum in the packaging and recycling these materials, it will be possible to improve the plastic waste rate and achieve a reduction in CO₂ emissions. 
Through the collaboration with ORIX Eco Services, around 80 tons/year of the blister packaging component of plastic waste at Sumitomo Pharma’s Suzuka Plant will be 99.8% recycled. This will improve Sumitomo Pharma’s recycling rate for plastic waste from 32% to 55% and contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions.

The Sumitomo Pharma Group defines the practice of its Mission, “To broadly contribute to society through value creation based on innovative research and development activities for the betterment of healthcare and fuller lives of people worldwide,” that contributes to the realization of a sustainable society and leads to the sustained enhancement of its corporate value as “Sustainability Management,” and has set “Promotion of environmental initiatives” as one of our Material Issues for our Sustainability Management.
Important environmental issues for the Sumitomo Pharma Group to tackle are using limited resources more effectively and mitigating climate change risks. Through environmental initiatives, such as continuously reducing waste as well as greenhouse gas emissions, the Sumitomo Pharma Group will continually contribute to solving such environmental issues and to realizing a sustainable society, thereby enhancing sustained corporate value.

*For more information on Sumitomo Pharma’s Sustainability Management and environmental initiatives, please visit the company’s website.
https://www.sumitomo-pharma.com/sustainability