Amgen has environmental programs in place to ensure compliance with regulations, conserve resources and reduce our impact on the environment. Our environmental sustainability strategy includes 2012 conservation targets for energy and CO2 reduction, water conservation, waste recycling and fuel efficiency for our U.S. sales fleet vehicles. Amgen has set formal, multi-year targets as an important step on our journey towards environmentally sustainable operations.

Water is essential to Amgen manufacturing processes. Because water is also a limited resource in a number of communities where Amgen operates, we seek opportunities for water reuse and recycling. We take pride in our successful efforts to use water wisely.

Water use at our five major U.S. manufacturing, and research and development facilities has decreased over the last year. This is a result of both decreased use of selected facilities as well as conservation activities.

A variety of water conservation projects have been initiated at Amgen sites. These include the installation of waterless urinals and smart irrigation systems, as well as the reuse of wastewater in boilers and cooling towers.

Environmental Highlight: Click here to read how the Puerto Rico facility reuses 70 percent of its wastewater.

Successful water management means not only reducing water use but also monitoring wastewater discharge. To comply with local wastewater requirements, each Amgen facility operates under agreements that regulate the amount and type of materials discharged in wastewater and adheres to all reporting requirements.

Pictured: A wastewater plant at Amgen Manufacturing Limited, Puerto Rico, became operational in 2006. The plant allows nearly 70 percent of wastewater to be reused onsite in boilers and cooling towers.

Energy

Energy conservation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), are an important part of Amgen’s commitment to sustainable operations.

Facing the future challenges brought about by both climate change and the finite reserves of fossil fuels will require a global effort involving many industries. For its part, Amgen has established an Energy Reduction Program that has implemented many energy conservation programs across the company. As part of this program, Amgen continues to seek new ways to reduce our energy usage.

Environmental Highlight: Click here to read about Amgen Washington’s reduction in energy use and carbon dioxide emmissions as part of Amgen’s Energy Reduction Program.

 

We collect data on the generation of CO2 from our five major U.S. manufacturing, and research and development facilities. The overall trend has been a decrease in total energy use and CO2 generation resulting from both conservation efforts and decreased use of selected facilities. At the same time, we are exploring opportunities to further reduce the amount of CO2 we generate.

Amgen participates in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). For more information on the CDP, please click here.

As part of its energy conservation efforts, Amgen is also working to increase the fuel efficiency of its U.S. sales fleet. Sales staff are encouraged to make environmentally responsible vehicle choices, including hybrids and partial zero emission vehicles. The average miles per gallon (mpg) of sales fleet vehicles in 2008 was 19.1. In 2009 it is trending upward, and as of August it was 20.7 mpg.

Waste

Waste minimization is another area of focus for Amgen’s environmental sustainability strategy. We use pollution prevention teams, process changes and staff training programs to reduce, reuse or recycle the waste materials that we generate.

We track the amount of hazardous waste generated at each of our five major U.S. manufacturing, and research and development facilities. Each site looks for and implements opportunities to prevent pollution and minimize waste.

Not only are we working to reduce the amount of hazardous waste we generate, we have systems in place to ensure that it is properly handled and disposed of. Hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities used by Amgen undergo initial as well as ongoing audits to ensure their performance meets our standards.

Amgen strives to reduce the impact of waste on the local communities that host our facilities. Amgen’s major sites have recycling programs in place and encourage staff involvement through educational activities such as our annual Earth Day events. Our non-regulated, routinely generated waste recycling rate exhibits an upward trend and is at approximately 60 percent as of mid-year 2009.

In addition, Amgen has equipment adoption programs in place that benefit local schools and other nonprofit organizations. Click here for more information.

Environmental Highlight: Click here to see how Amgen is transforming manufacturing waste into plastic seedling containers