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Medical and Pharmaceutical Industries 279

FIGURE 14.4 Packaging improvements in Humalog insulin pen.

For example, the packaging for a new Humalog insulin pen was
redesigned to eliminate plastics and reduce overall size (see Figure
14.4). The outcome was a significant reduction in the environmental
footprint, including elimination of 146 tons of plastic per year. Pack-
age size and mass reduction resulted in a decrease of shipping cases
by 106 tons, primary cartons by 18 tons, literature by 76 tons, and
number of pallets by 2041 per year. The associated energy savings are
9.8 million megajoules per year—enough to power 260 U.S. homes. In
addition, the associated forest products savings for corrugated, fiber-
board, and paper are equivalent to saving over 3000 trees per year.

References
1. R. A. Sheldon, “The E Factor: Fifteen Years On,” Green Chem. 9 (12), 1273–1283
(2007).
2. Personal communication, David Constable, Corporate Environment, Health,
and Safety, Glaxo-Smith-Kline.
3. Information about Health Care Without Harm is available at www.noharm.org/
us.
4. Information about Johnson & Johnson’s environmental programs can be found
at www.jnj.com/connect/caring/environment-protection/.
5. The Baxter 2007 Sustainability Report is available at sustainability.baxter.com/
documents/sustainability_report_2007.pdf
6. Information about Lilly’s EH&S programs is available at www.lilly.com/about/
compliance/practices/health/.