T
akeda and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have launched a collaborative effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the healthcare sector, focusing on innovative solutions for hard-to-abate waste disposal.
The partnership aims to tackle the environmental challenges posed by regulated medical waste, such as pharmaceutical packaging and single-use plastics, which are among the most difficult issues facing the industry. By sharing best practices and scaling interventions, the collaboration seeks to drive wider impact across the healthcare ecosystem.
"At BMC, we recognize that sustainability is integral to healthcare," said Robert Biggio, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability & Real Estate Officer at Boston Medical Center Health System. "Climate change exacerbates health risks, threatening patient and community wellbeing. Our partnership with Takeda will drive meaningful change by addressing environmental challenges contributing to health disparities."
A key objective of the collaboration is to identify, pilot, and share decarbonization solutions that other healthcare organizations can adopt. This may involve engaging with industry stakeholders to establish new best practices and practical applications.
Boston Medical Center will conduct waste audits across clinical areas to identify emission hotspots and pilot technologies reducing emissions from regulated medical waste disposal. The hospital has a strong track record of environmental excellence, having implemented initiatives such as rooftop solar arrays, rooftop farms, and net-zero energy facilities.
"Takeda understands the connection between human and planetary health," said Teresa Bitetti, president of Takeda's global oncology business unit. "We need bold collaborations like this to develop solutions for difficult environmental challenges. We're proud to partner with BMC, an organization committed to advancing sustainability and improving patient health."
This collaboration supports Takeda's ambitious climate goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations by 2035 and across its value chain by 2040.
