Buletinul Institutului Politehnic din Iași Secția Chimie și Inginerie Chimică ISSN: 2537-2947
ISSN-L: 0254-7104
2026, Volume 72(76), Issue 1 (March), pp. 95 - 111
Strategies for Reducing Environmental Impact in the Pharmaceutical
Industry: Trends, Challenges and Perspectives
LAURA-CRINA MIRAUTE (COCA), “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of
Iași, Faculty of Industrial Design and Business Management, Iași, Romania,
laura-crina.miraute@student.tuiasi.ro NICOLETA MIHAELA CASANEANU
(DASCĂLU), “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, Faculty of
Industrial Design and Business Management, Iași, Romania MARIUS PÎSLARU,
“Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, Faculty of Industrial Design
and Business Management, Iași, Romania
Abstract The pharmaceutical industry faces increasing pressure to
minimize its environmental footprint while ensuring product safety and
quality. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of current trends,
challenges, and best practices related to environmental sustainability in
pharmaceutical production. Using a systematic literature review approach,
the study examines key areas such as greenhouse gas emissions, water
contamination with active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and hazardous
waste management. The findings reveal that large companies in developed
countries are leading the adoption of green chemistry principles and life
cycle assessment (LCA), driven by regulatory frameworks and financial
resources, while producers in emerging economies struggle with inadequate
waste management infrastructure and regulatory enforcement. The paper also
explores regulatory influences, technological innovations, and
digitalization as enablers of sustainable practices. Solutions such as
process optimization, renewable energy adoption, solvent recovery, and
integration of artificial intelligence in production processes are
highlighted as essential for reducing the sector’s ecological impact. This
review identifies research gaps and provides recommendations for aligning
pharmaceutical manufacturing with global sustainability goals. Keywords:
sustainability, pharmaceutical industry, green chemistry, life cycle
assessment (LCA), environmental impact, waste management