Supporting Waste-to-Energy Solutions Today Impacts Tomorrow As a contract manufacturer of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products that are distributed worldwide, Fareva has a variety of waste streams that all need to be handled with care. For the past 15 years, the team at Fareva’s Richmond, Va. facility has been focused on achieving zero waste-to-landfill while maintaining robust recycling initiatives. The company’s Zero Waste Initiative strives to recycle 95 percent of waste from the site. As of 2016, they achieved 86 percent.

Fareva joined forces with Covanta, an industry leader in safe and secure drug destruction services for the pharmaceutical and health care industries, almost 12 years ago. The goal of the partnership was to address the handling and processing of non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste that could not be recycled.

CASE STUDYWaste-to-Energy Solutions Today Impacts Tomorrow

Employees have always been involved in the sustainability program at Fareva. “At the beginning, there were definitely challenges while we got everyone on board with what we were doing and why,” said Gary Prior, Manager, Security and EHS, Fareva.

“But now, we have programs for employees to bring ideas to us,” added Matt Paquette, EHS Specialist, Fareva. “It’s like the ‘see something, say something’ approach – if they have a plan for making us better, we want to listen and activate it!”

Beyond the company’s recycling and Zero Waste achievements, Fareva employees also help with other sustainability initiatives. From planting sunflowers to cleaning up local communities to building bird

feeders – the employees take part in addressing the importance of the environment around them.

“We have many long-term employees,” said Kulesza. “So they have ‘grown up’ with our programs and the newer employees – millennials – are extremely interested in working for ‘green’ companies. Our programs and dedication to being good environmental stewards attracts talent.”

Employees: The Cornerstone of Success

Sustainability Achievements Drive Customer Confidence“Covanta’s assured destruction capabilities are critical to our customers,” said Paquette. “Because we send

any non-hazardous product waste that can’t be recycled to Covanta and they process it at high temperatures

to destroy it, our customers can be certain that none of their product gets into the wrong hands or out on the

market in any way.”

The secure destruction process minimizes disposal risk while maximizing confidentiality for customers. The

service includes the options of witnessed, recorded, and certified proof of destruction, providing total and

complete peace of mind for customers.

“We’re constantly making products for a variety of businesses,” said Prior. “How we handle the products and the waste is very important

to our customers. Being able to share our sustainability achievements and Energy-from-Waste solutions from Covanta is a big plus.”

“ “We’ve shipped tons of waste to Covanta which is generating energy... I often say that ‘we are lighting up Alexandria. Eunice Kulesza, Senior Environmental Specialist, Fareva

By working with Covanta, Fareva’s non-recyclable and non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste is collected weekly and sent via tractor trailers to Covanta’s Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facilities in Alexandria and Fairfax, Va. Covanta’s high-temperature combustion process at these EfW facilities destroys the unused products at temperatures of 2,000°F, producing clean energy as a byproduct that is then utilized to power homes and businesses in surrounding communities such as the city of Alexandria, Va.

“There is so much good that comes from participating in Energy-from-Waste programs,” said Eunice Kulesza, Senior Environmental Specialist, Fareva. “We’ve shipped tons of waste to Covanta which is generating energy… I often say that ‘we are lighting up Alexandria.’”

Empty raw material containers sent to

Covanta for destruction.

800-950-8749covantaes.com

COVANTAEnvironmental Solutions

Fareva began its journey to sustainability with an Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) team focused on recycling, ultimately creating the program that changed the future for the company. Since partnering with Covanta, the company has seen significant industry and state recognition, including: “ “Companies

need to invest now for there

to be a future. Gary Prior, Manager,

Security and EHS, Fareva

Recognized For Making A Difference

• The Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP) Certification that recognizes environmental excellence by encouraging facilities and organizations within Virginia that have strong environmental records to go above and beyond their legal requirements and institute strong Environmental Management Systems (EMS). Since 2010, the Fareva Richmond site has earned the highest level of accreditation (E4) for their EMS.

• The 2013 Bronze Virginia Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for the significant contributions of environmental and conservation leaders in four categories: sustainability, environmental project, land conservation, and implementation of the Virginia Outdoors Plan.

• OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) certification in 2008 for effective worksite-based safety and health.

“Fareva is recognized as a leader in sustainability in Virginia,” said Kulesza. “We have spoken at conferences and events in order to tell our story and help others understand how and why they need to make changes including using waste to energy solutions.”

When asked what advice the team at Fareva would give to others about embarking on sustainability and zero waste-to-landfill programs, Prior, said: “Think about it. Companies – big or small – will not be around in the future unless we

come up with new ways of being sustainable. If all of the waste goes to a landfill, it will eventually be capped and then what? What happens when all landfills reach max capacity? Companies need to invest now for there to be a future.”

One of the Zero Landfill Bags filled with non-hazardous waste that Fareva sends to Covanta