Environmental Performance: Emissions, Effluents, and Waste

Use the links below for information on air emissions, water effluents, and waste:

Greenhouse gas emissions
Ozone-depleting substances
Acid gas emissions
Priority reduction chemical emissions
Local noise and odors
Nonhazardous waste
Hazardous waste
Effluents to water

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Bristol-Myers Squibb reports greenhouse gas emissions in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents. This includes direct CO2 from fuels used and other greenhouse gases from our operations, indirect CO2 from purchased electricity, on-site waste treatment, and other sources such as fermentation. We calculate greenhouse gas emissions from fuel use using emissions factors from eGRID: Emissions and Generated Resource Integrated Database U.S. EPA office for atmospheric programs (for U.S. operations) as well as GHG Protocol and International Energy Agency (for international operations).

Each facility calculates its own emissions, which reflect site-specific emissions controls, the type of fuels used, and other factors.

*2007 data includes U.S. and Canada, prior years are for U.S. only

Our direct greenhouse gas emissions from operations have decreased by approximately 2 percent, or by 10 percent when normalized by sales, from 2006 to 2007. Indirect emissions from purchased electricity have decreased 2 percent (absolute, and decreased by 9 percent when normalized by sales) over the same time period.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from automobiles in the U.S. and Canada have decreased by 12 percent (absolute, or by 18 percent when normalized by sales) since 2006. Finally, GHG emissions from air travel have increased by approximately 10 percent (absolute, and by 2 percent when normalized by sales) from 2006 to 2007.

Total greenhouse gas emissions (direct, indirect, automobiles, and air travel) decreased 2 percent, or by 9 percent when normalized by sales, from 2006 to 2007.

Our Sustainability 2010 Goal for greenhouse gas emissions calls for a 10 percent reduction, normalized by sales, of our direct and indirect emissions (baseline year 2001). We met this goal in 2007, achieving a 21 percent reduction since 2001. We will continue to strive to meet our reduction targets, specifically from our newly acquired facilities, which have a disproportionate share of our greenhouse gas emissions.

Although we have met our 10 percent reduction goal for the past three years, we recognize that we must continue to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Our major sites are required to establish their own facility targets to support the corporate 10 percent reduction goal. We are identifying additional opportunities for improvement, such as reducing our reliance on fuel oil and diesel fuel at our manufacturing facilities. We continue to implement cost-effective energy conservation projects and have started to make use of new or emerging technologies. For example, in late 2004 we installed a high-tech solar photovoltaic system at the company’s on-site child development center for employee children in Hopewell, New Jersey. During its first two years of operation, this renewable energy system generated over 130,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by over 43 metric tons.

In 2003, Bristol-Myers Squibb partnered with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and a group of large companies based in the northeast United States on a project to help corporations address climate change. This project, known as Climate Northeast, brought together a variety of businesses from different economic sectors. A report on the partnership’s activities, A Climate of Innovation: Northeast Business Action to Reduce Greenhouse Gases, is available to the public.

Ozone-Depleting Substances

Bristol-Myers Squibb reports the amount of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) that are emitted to the environment at our facilities as kilograms of chlorofluorocarbon equivalents. Between 2005 and 2006 ODS emissions have decreased by 16 percent, or by 12 percent when normalized by sales. Although there is no Sustainablility 2010 goal established for this category, ODS use has decreased by 62 percent, or 65 percent when normalized by sales, since 2001. This dramatic reduction can be attributed to changes at individual facilities, such as the one in New Brunswick, New Jersey, which reduced its emissions of ozone-depleting substances by 63 percent.

Beginning in 2007, ODS have been removed from the data collection process. This decision was based on the relative contribution to Bristol-Myers Squibb's greenhouse gas emissions from ODS and the great progress we have made reducing their use.

Acid Gas Emissions

In 2002, Bristol-Myers Squibb expanded our tracking of acid gases beyond sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) to include hydrogen chloride (HCl). In 2003, we established a Sustainability 2010 Goal to reduce acid gas emissions by 10 percent, when normalized by sales, from the 2003 baseline year. In 2007, we exceeded that goal by reducing acid gas emissions by 47 percent, or 49 percent when normalized by sales.

In prior years, we reported on our emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), SOx, and NOx. Our emissions of CO and PM were insignificant, so we have determined that tracking SOx, NOx, and HCl is more effective in managing our efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of our operations.

Priority Reduction Chemical Emissions

The company tracks off-site air releases of priority reduction chemicals. By 2010, the company will reduce off-site releases to air of priority reduction chemicals by 50 percent from the 2002 baseline year.

Priority Reduction Chemicals
Acetonitrile Benzene Ethyl Acetate Methanol Methyl Isobutyl Ketone	Methylene Chloride Methyl-t-Butyl Ether N-Butyl Acetate Tetrahydrofuran Toluene

These priority reduction chemicals are highly regulated and can contribute to process hazards. Bristol-Myers Squibb selected these chemicals based on the high volumes used by the company (for ethyl acetate, methanol, and n-butyl acetate) and potential health hazards.

In 2002, a total of 2.21 million kg of priority reduction chemicals were emitted, or 0.14 kg per $1,000 sales. This compares to a total of 1.38 million kg emitted in 2007, or 0.07 kg per $1,000 sales. This results in a 37 percent decrease in priority reduction chemicals between 2002 and 2007, or a 50 percent decrease when normalized by sales.

Local Noise and Odors

Bristol-Myers Squibb is committed to working with our neighbors to ensure that our operations do not negatively impact the local community. We understand that nuisance issues, such as noise and odors, can become significant if left unaddressed. In the event that odors or noise become a problem for any members of the community, we encourage them to contact the facility management.

Nonhazardous Waste

Each of our facilities worldwide tracks its generation, recycling, and disposal of nonhazardous waste, including plastic, cardboard, paper, and aluminum. Our Sustainability 2010 Goal is to reduce nonhazardous waste disposal by 20 percent from the 2002 baseline year, normalized by sales. We now include biosolids in our category of disposal and have made this change retroactive for previous years.

The chart below indicates that we have exceeded our 2010 goal by reducing the total amount of nonhazardous waste disposed by 30 percent since 2002, or by 41 percent when normalized by sales.

From 2006 to 2007, nonhazardous waste disposed decreased by 15 percent, or 21 percent when normalized by sales. During the same time period, the amount of nonhazardous waste recycled increased by 9 percent (absolute, and 1 percent when normalized by sales), while the total amount of nonhazardous waste generated has decreased by 4 percent, or 12 percent when normalized by sales. Bristol-Myers Squibb continues to promote recycling as a preferred alternative to disposal, but our ultimate goal is to reduce nonhazardous waste generation through source reduction.

We define nonhazardous wastes as those wastes discarded from manufacturing, distribution, and administrative sources, including cardboard, paper, plastics, general trash, off-spec product, intermediates, and biosolids. We do not include wastes that are inherently hazardous to human health or the environment but may not be specifically regulated, such as radioactive waste and medical waste.

Hazardous Waste

We track hazardous waste sent off-site from our facilities worldwide. The chart shows the amount of hazardous waste (as defined by local requirements) recycled, reused, treated, or disposed of. The data do not include hazardous waste generated as a result of on-site remediation activities. The vast majority of hazardous waste is incinerated, with only the residual ash land disposed. In 2007, hazardous waste off-site treatment and disposal decreased 42 percent since 2006 (absolute, and 46 percent when normalized by sales). The amount of hazardous waste generated during the same time period decreased 36 percent, or by 41 percent when normalized by sales.

Our Sustainability 2010 Goal for hazardous waste calls for a 50 percent reduction in the amount of hazardous waste disposed, normalized by sales, with a 2001 baseline year. As of 2007, hazardous waste disposed had decreased 59 percent since 2001 when normalized by sales.

For tracking purposes, hazardous waste is defined as any material, solid, liquid or gaseous, that can no longer be used as it was originally intended and must be modified in some way for beneficial reuse or destroyed to render it harmless to human health and the environment. Hazardous waste can be defined as per local, country, or national requirements where factors such as corrosivity, reactivity, flammability, or toxicity are accounted for in determining the hazards associated with a waste stream. We also include medical, infectious, radioactive, and mixed hazardous and radioactive wastes in the total hazardous waste generated.

Effluents to Water

Bristol-Myers Squibb has corporate standards and guidelines in place to ensure that our facilities meet or exceed local requirements regarding the treatment and management of wastewater effluents.

In 2002, we established our baseline for water effluents globally. We measure parameters that are widely accepted globally as contributing to water quality degradation, either in the form of depleted oxygen levels (total suspended solids and chemical oxygen demand) or toxicity to human and aquatic life (nitrates) to arrive at a total for discharge of general pollutants. Our Sustainability 2010 Goal is to reduce wastewater releases of these general pollutants by 10 percent when normalized by sales. Since 2002, discharge of general pollutants has decreased by 45 percent when normalized by sales.

In the past year, discharge of general pollutants has decreased 16 percent, or 22 percent when normalized by sales. In 2005, the wastewater treatment plant at our major bulk pharmaceutical facility in Latina, Italy, was upgraded, which has significantly reduced the company's total effluents to water.

Initially, the company had established a Sustainability 2010 Goal to reduce off-site releases to water of priority reduction chemicals by 50 percent by 2010. Upon further evaluation, it became clear that the amount of these chemicals present in the company's wastewater was below measurable levels and did not have an environmental impact. As a result, this is no longer a Sustainability 2010 Goal, although the company will continue to collect metrics on these parameters.

Last updated June 26, 2008 . Italicized product names are registered trademarks of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company or one of its divisions or subsidiaries. Copyright © 1998-2006 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Your use of the information on this site is subject to the terms of our Legal Notices.