(286b) Material Flow Assessment and Circularization of Waste in the Acetaminophen Production Network through Integration of a New Industrial System

The increasing demand for sustainable processes in the pharmaceutical industry has necessitated for an urgent need for the circularization of waste streams in the supply chain.¹ In this study, we present a comprehensive regional material flow assessment (MFA) of the acetaminophen production network, comprising of 6 industrial process systems classified into 4 NAICS sectors, using physical input-output tables (PIOTs) generated by the PIOT-Hub.² Our research aims to identify opportunities for circularizing waste flows through the integration of a new industrial system in the production network, and demonstrates the value of incorporating circular economy principles into the design and operation of chemical production systems in the pharma-industry.

The MFA will be conducted by generating PIOTs using the PIOT-Hub, a computational tool that employs bottom-up approach of leveraging mechanistic models of the industrial processes in various stages of the acetaminophen production network as the principal data input to generate material flow map in the form of PIOTs. This approach enables us to quantify waste streams, identify critical points of material losses, and map potential areas for process optimization. By utilizing state-of-the-art MFA techniques and the inherent capabilities of PIOT-Hub, we can evaluate different scenarios for waste reduction and circularization, leading to the selection of a promising new industrial system.^3,4

This novel approach of conducting MFA, integrated with the proposed structure of the acetaminophen production network, is designed to repurpose waste streams as valuable inputs for other industries. By harnessing the principles of industrial symbiosis, our proposed system can transform waste products from the acetaminophen manufacturing network into high-value materials via inclusion of a new waste-sequestering industrial process.⁵ Furthermore, this integrated approach not only reduces the environmental impact of acetaminophen production, but also generates new revenue streams and provides opportunistic pathways towards interdependent collaboration among different industrial sectors.

The implementation of our proposed industrial system demonstrates the potential for significant improvements in resource efficiency and waste reduction within the acetaminophen production network. The key findings of this research study emphasize on the importance of a comprehensive, mechanistic-driven MFA for identifying and addressing material flow inefficiencies in chemical processes categorized in the field of pharmaceuticals. By highlighting the benefits of circular economy principles and industrial symbiosis, this study can serve as a blueprint for the development of sustainable, resource-efficient processes in the pharmaceutical industry.

References:

1. Alshemari, A., Breen, L., Quinn, G. & Sivarajah, U. Can We Create a Circular Pharmaceutical Supply Chain (CPSC) to Reduce Medicines Waste? Pharmacy 8, 221 (2020).
2. Vunnava, V. S. G., Shin, J., Zhao, L. & Singh, S. PIOT‐Hub ‐ A collaborative cloud tool for generation of physical input–output tables using mechanistic engineering models. J. Ind. Ecol. 26, 107–120 (2022).
3. Krausmann, F., Schandl, H., Eisenmenger, N., Giljum, S. & Jackson, T. Material Flow Accounting: Measuring Global Material Use for Sustainable Development. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 42, 647–675 (2017).
4. Fischer‐Kowalski, M. et al. Methodology and Indicators of Economy‐wide Material Flow Accounting: State of the Art and Reliability Across Sources. J. Ind. Ecol. 15, 855–876 (2011).
5. Chertow, M. R. INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS: Literature and Taxonomy. Annu. Rev. Energy Environ. 25, 313–337 (2000).