Novo Nordisk Tests Technology to Reuse Pharmaceutical Wastewater, Aiming to Cut Water Consumption by 50%

Novo Nordisk is testing whether wastewater from drug manufacturing can be cleaned and reused in the production process, potentially halving the company's water usage. The project, conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), focuses on a challenging form of industrial water recycling. Drug manufacturing requires highly purified water, a need that becomes more critical when producing injectable medications. According to an analysis by the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences, overall industrial water consumption in Denmark remained almost unchanged between 2012 and 2022, with the exception of the pharmaceutical sector, where water usage increased by 35.8% during that period.

Currently, Novo Nordisk reuses some process water in cooling towers, where it helps remove excess heat before eventually evaporating. The company now wants to determine if wastewater directly generated from drug production can be treated and returned to the manufacturing process.

Testing Water Treatment Technology

"If we can recover the wastewater streams from the drug production process, we estimate we can reduce water consumption by 50%," said Andreas Herfelt, Novo Nordisk's head of environment. To test this possibility, DTU researcher Ravi Kumar Chhetri installed membrane-based water purification technology at Novo Nordisk's Hillerød facility in December 2025. The system uses reverse osmosis, a process that separates water from dissolved substances through a semipermeable membrane.

However, this technology alone is not enough to determine if the treated water can be returned to drug production. Researchers need to identify the remaining substances in the purified water and assess whether they will affect drug quality or patient safety. Consequently, Chhetri and his colleagues are continuously analyzing water samples collected after membrane treatment. The results will be used for risk assessment to examine if any remaining substances pose a substantial concern.

Ensuring Drug Quality and Safety

Herfelt stated, "This is because water used in drug production, especially for injectable medications, must meet the strictest quality requirements to prevent unwanted substances from entering the patients who need these drugs." The project aims to provide Novo Nordisk with the technical evidence to prove that the recycled process water meets the necessary standards. Professor Anders Baun, who is involved in preparing the risk analysis, said, "In the risk analysis, we assess whether there are remaining substances in the purified water and whether these substances pose a high or low risk."

If the risk is high, we consider how to address it." This makes the project different from traditional industrial water-saving efforts. The researchers are not simply reducing the amount of water used in the process but are investigating whether the same water can be cleaned and recirculated back into production.

Chhetri stated, "Recycling water in production companies has enormous water-saving potential compared to other high water consumption process optimization measures." For Novo Nordisk, proving that the treated water is safe enough for drug production could also enhance water security, especially in areas where local water resources are under pressure. Herfelt said, "With the help of DTU, we can obtain the necessary data to demonstrate to the Danish Medicines Agency that recycled water does not pose any risk to the quality of our products or the safety of our patients."

Innovative Challenges in Pharmaceutical Water Resource Management

Novo Nordisk's wastewater reuse plan demonstrates the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry's efforts in environmental sustainability. As water resources become increasingly scarce, companies must find innovative solutions to reduce water consumption. This technology not only lowers water usage but also ensures that the treated water does not affect drug quality and patient safety. This is particularly crucial for the pharmaceutical industry, as any quality issues could have serious consequences for patients. If successful, this could serve as a model for other companies in the industry, driving broader environmental practices.