Klinge Pharma is part of the Fujisawa Group and employs 90 people at its plant in Killorglin, Co. Kerry. In February 2004, the Company won IBEC’s annual Managing for Sustainable Development Award. Klinge had previously received the same award in 2001, while in 2002 the company earned an Honourable Mention from the EU in the same category.
Klinge is certified to ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and holds an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. The Operation’s Environment, Health & Safety Manager, Mr. Seamus Gethins, outlines the company’s achievements in waste management:
In 2003, disposal of non-hazardous waste cost Klinge €24,932. Without the waste minimisation programme initiated in the late 1990s, this cost would have been in excess of €53,650. Clearly waste minimisation makes a significant economic impact.
These reductions were achieved without complex solutions or elaborate systems. Klinge first carried out a survey of all wastes generated. They were categorised into waste types, quantities and origins. This enabled the EHS department to prepare a prioritised list. The largest waste types that required the smallest effort to rectify were tackled first. This freed up money for implementing the smaller, more expensive programmes.
Pallet waste was eliminated by insisting that all regular suppliers use returnable or reusable pallets. All damaged or single use pallets were sent off-site for recycling. Fibre drums were eliminated from landfill by altering the packing method used by the major suppliers to reusable packaging or bulk containers. The fibre drums that remained were separated into the metal, cardboard and plastic components and sent for appropriate recycling. Many other smaller projects were initiated, the accumulation of which has resulted in a 63% reduction of landfill waste over the last four years.
Klinge continues to strive for further reductions. To encourage waste reduction, Klinge removed waste skips and rubbish bins from the site and established recycling areas. It has become progressively more difficult for staff to dispose of waste. Reducing paper usage, composting organic waste and eliminating styrofoam cups are currently being targeted.
The corner stone of Klinge’s environmental management is that “further improvement is always possible.” To this end Klinge will seek to eliminate waste as long as a single kg exists; saving money for the Company and creating a better environment for all.
Waste Reduction at Klinge Pharma
Tonnes Waste to Landfill
