Lifecycle Assessment of Opioids and Harmful Effects Caused to the Environment

Ghali, Vivian M.

Lifecycle Assessment of Opioids and Harmful Effects Caused to the Environment

2018

New York Institute of Technology.

Opioids--Environmental aspects.
Opioid abuse.

English.

PDF.

Thesis (M.S.)--New York Institute of Technology.

Old Westbury, N.Y. : New York Institute of Technology

College of Engineering & Computing Sciences, Department of Environmental Technology & Sustainability.

Stanley M. Greenwald, P.E.

Carbon emissions are increasing significantly due to the increase in our population and changing society. Many pharmaceutical companies are aware that a lot of the carbon omissions are coming from their facilities during the manufacturing process of prescription medications. A very controversial topic in our century seems to be the use of opioids and the carbon dioxide emissions caused due to the fabrication of them.
Discussed is the lifecycle assessment of morphine from cradle-to-grave and the results calculated of how much total carbon dioxide emissions was produced. Comparisons were done to show if producing morphine is greater than that of every-day use, routines/habits.
As many pharmaceutical companies figure out ways to become a greener business, there is still much effort needed from everyone in order to help reduce CO2 emissions completely. Moving forward businesses are creating efficient ways to reuse energy or figure other ways to make/reduce energy consumption without harming the environment.