Amgen has environmental programs in place to ensure compliance with regulations, conserve resources, and reduce our impact on the environment. Our environmental sustainability plan includes multi-year targets to conserve our use of energy and water, reduce waste, improve the fuel efficiency of our U.S. sales fleet and reduce our generation of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.

Water

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.

Amgen has set a target to conserve 235,000 cubic meters of water by 2012*. At the end of 2009, we had already exceeded our target for water conservation. The primary project that has helped us achieve our target is water reuse at Amgen Puerto Rico, where up to 70 percent of wastewater is reused. While we met our target earlier than expected, we continue to identify and implement ways to further conserve water.

Water intake for our manufacturing, research and distribution facilities in North America and Breda, the Netherlands has decreased over the last three years.

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.

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.

Energy and Carbon Dioxide

Energy conservation and the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are an important part of Amgen’s commitment to environmentally 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 projects across the company. Amgen has set targets to conserve 500,000 gigajoules of energy and reduce 75,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions by 2012*. Our energy target represents 12 percent of our 2007 overall energy consumption and our CO₂ emissions target represents 20 percent of our overall CO₂ emissions.

We collect data on energy use and CO₂ emissions from our manufacturing, research and distribution facilities in North America and Breda, the Netherlands. 

Because CO₂ emissions result from combusting fossil fuels for energy, our energy conservation projects also serve to reduce our CO₂ emissions. Along with identifying energy reduction projects, we are also 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.

Amgen has set a target to improve vehicle fuel efficiency of its U.S. sales fleet vehicles to 23 miles per gallon by 2012. This represents a 20 percent increase in the average miles per gallon of our sales fleet vehicles from 2007.

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 2007 was 19. In 2009, it increased to 21 mpg.

Waste

Waste minimization is another area of focus for Amgen’s environmental sustainability plan. 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 our manufacturing, research and distribution facilities in North America and Breda, the Netherlands. Each facility seeks opportunities and implements programs to prevent pollution and minimize waste.

Amgen has set a target to reduce 700 metric tons of routinely generated waste by 2012*. This represents 8 percent of our overall 2007 waste generation. We have also set a target to recycle greater than or equal to 40 percent of routine non-regulated waste. By hitting a recycling rate of 56 percent in 2009, we are currently meeting our recycling target.

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

  *The target is solely based on the results of conservation projects to be executed between 2008 and 2012 and is independent of growth or contraction of the company.