Industrial Water Use

It is commonly said, and perhaps rightfully so, that future wars will be waged over water. In order to avoid that, it is important to make sensible use of that resource today, especially in the industrial sector. Let's take a look at a company like Pfizer, which surely most people are familiar with as the developers of erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. Even though water use in their research and manufacturing centers is comparatively small to that of other industries, this company still aims for responsible water management. Worldwide facilities are required to quantify use of water, give priority to conservation measures and back community efforts at times of drought.

Establishing a manufacturing plant in a certain locality is not unlike introducing a new element into an ecosystem. Pfizer ensures that the impact of this introduction is not negative in terms of sustainable water access or water quality. Although a public goal for reduction of water has not been set as of yet, Pfizer does have internal policies established with the purpose of decreasing use of water. Such tactics include performing a comprehensive water accounting risk analysis of operations, assessing additional partnerships with government and non-government organizations, determine water footprint of high use processes, increasing focus on conservation measures and community outreach efforts, instating additional operational controls to enhance water recycle and reuse, establishing a baseline and determining if a global based water use reduction is most impacting than a regional one, and understanding our extended water footprint with suppliers in water-stressed locations.

Further measures to improve use of water efficiency involve several projects such as re-circulation of water for scrubbers that lower air pollution, systematic detection and repair of leaks, reduction of water used in activated carbon systems for utilities support, reuse of treated wastewater in cooling towers, collection of rain water to reload well water supply, and treatment of wastewater for landscape irrigation. All things considered, next time you read pharmacy reviews don't be surprised to see Pfizer highly rated as a green company.