Published July 6, 2026 | Version v1

Towards a Green Pharmaceutical Future in Europe

  • 1. ROR icon Asociacion de Investigacion de Materiales Plasticos y Conexas
  • 2. ASPHALION
  • 3. Center for Mechanical Technology and Automation (TEMA) / University of Aveiro
  • 4. UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
  • 5. ROR icon RISA Sicherheitsanalysen
  • 6. IRES - Innovation in Research and Engineering Solutions
  • 7. ROR icon TU Wien
  • 8. Ghent Unversity
  • 9. ROR icon Ghent University
  • 10. ROR icon Leuphana University of Lüneburg
  • 11. ROR icon National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
  • 12. ROR icon Radboud University Nijmegen
  • 13. ROR icon University of Bari Aldo Moro
  • 14. ROR icon University of Aveiro
  • 15. Politecnico di Milano
  • 16. ROR icon Loughborough University
  • 17. Agata Communications
  • 18. ROR icon Agata Communications (Spain)
  • 19. Université de Montpellier
  • 20. ROR icon Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier

Description

Pharmaceutical products are essential to public health, but their life cycle—from research and development, to synthesis, process development use and disposal—can carry high environmental costs. Traditional manufacturing often relies on hazardous solvents, energy-intensive processes, and long, linear supplychains. Meanwhile, after use, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and their metabolites can persist in the environment, contributing to pollution and risks to ecosystems.

Addressing these challenges requires a systemic life cycle approach that integrates environmental sustainability into pharmaceutical research and development, production, use, and disposal. Recognizing these challenges, the European Commission has launched an ambitious Green Pharma agenda, funding five Horizon Europe projects—
ENVIROMED, ETERNAL, IMPACTIVE, SusPharma and TransPharm—that together form an informal Green Pharma Cluster. Their collective insights provide strong evidence base for policy action.

Files

Informal Green Pharma Cluster - Policy Brief - Towards a Green Pharmaceutical Future in Europe.pdf

Additional details

Funding

European Commission
ETERNAL - Boosting the reduction of the environmental impact of pharmaceutical products throughout their entire life cycle. 101057668
European Commission
ENVIROMED - Next generation toolbox for greener pharmaceuticals design & manufacturing towards reduced environmental impact 101057844
European Commission
TransPharm - Transforming into a sustainable European pharmaceutical sector 101057816
European Commission
SusPharma - MERGING SUSTAINABLE AND DIGITAL CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF GREENER-BY-DESIGN PHARMACEUTICALS 101057430
European Commission
IMPACTIVE - Innovative Mechanochemical Processes to synthesize green ACTIVE pharmaceutical ingredients. 101057286