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Takeda receives 3Rs Promotion Merit Award FY2024 for Japan's First Material Recycling of Pharmaceutical Blister Packaging Waste

2024年10月29日
  • Received a FY2024 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Promotion Merit Award
  • Recognized for being the first in Japan to separate plastic and aluminum materials from pharmaceutical blister packaging waste, facilitating recycling and reuse
  • Committed to expanding and promoting this initiative across the pharma industry and Takeda’s global manufacturing network

Osaka, Japan, October 29, 2024 - Takeda (TSE: 4502/NYSE: TAK) today announced that it has received the prestigious FY2024 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Promotion Merit Award from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

Receiving this award acknowledges our pioneering efforts at the Hikari manufacturing site, where we have partnered with a supplier that successfully separated plastic and aluminum from pharmaceutical blister packaging waste to enable single-material recycling and reuse*1. This initiative was recognized for introducing a groundbreaking technology in Japan for the first time. Following the implementation of the Plastic Resource Circulation Act in April 2022, the Hikari site adopted this recycling method in June 2023, addressing the challenge of pharmaceutical blister packaging waste and innovating a new technology to separate the two materials. This will reduce environmental impact by allowing the materials to be recycled and reused.

This project is especially important as blister plastic waste accounts for nearly half of the industrial plastic waste at the site. As Takeda recognizes the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the healthcare ecosystem, we are committed to engaging with peer companies, sharing our insights to help them adopt this process.

Additionally, the Hikari site has shifted from conventional road freight to rail freight for most of its transportation to the blister packaging waste separation site. This more environmentally friendly mode of transport helps reduce CO2 emissions further*2.

Yukihiro Matsumoto, Head of Global Manufacturing & Supply, Japan, said, "We are deeply honored to receive this award, which reaffirms our commitment to protecting the planet by reducing the environmental impact of our products. Grounded in the principles of a circular economy, we recognize the critical connection between human well-being and planetary health. We remain dedicated to advancing this initiative across our industry and global network, working toward a more sustainable future for all."

Takeda has set a very ambitious climate goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the value chain by 2040. In 2024, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) recognized Takeda’s net zero GHG emission goals as being consistent with reductions required to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Its reduction goal for waste to landfill is set to 90 percent by 2030 globally.

The awards program has been held annually since 1992 to recognize individuals, groups, schools, enterprises, and other entities for their outstanding levels of unique, community-based, and pioneering contributions to promoting the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle), thereby encouraging the development of further activities to this end. The program is hosted by the 3Rs Promotion Council and supported by seven related ministries,*3 including METI.

ceremony photo

※1 Overview of the new separation technology (partner company equipment): Involves the input of blister packaging waste into a special apparatus that separates plastic and aluminum through agitation and friction without combustion. The apparatus operates on 100% renewable energy.
※2 Reference: The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for a definition of modal shift
(https://www.mlit.go.jp/seisakutokatsu/freight/modalshift.html).
※3 Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), and Ministry of the Environment (MOE)

About Takeda

Takeda is focused on creating better health for people and a brighter future for the world. We aim to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments in our core therapeutic and business areas, including gastrointestinal and inflammation, rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, oncology, neuroscience and vaccines. Together with our partners, we aim to improve the patient experience and advance a new frontier of treatment options through our dynamic and diverse pipeline. As a leading values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan, we are guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Our employees in approximately 80 countries and regions are driven by our purpose and are grounded in the values that have defined us for more than two centuries. For more information, visit www.takeda.com.

Media contact:

Kumi Iiyama
[email protected]
phone: 080-5789-7742