Product End-of-Life

The responsible treatment of healthcare products at the end of their useful life is an emerging issue worldwide. Baxter has had programs for several years to refurbish and return electronic products to use as appropriate, and to recycle those products when reuse is not feasible. Baxter has introduced even more comprehensive product take-back in Europe, in line with European Union Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive obligations.

Repair and Refurbishment

Many of the electronic medical products Baxter sells, such as intravenous (IV) infusion pumps, are well suited to repair and refurbishment after the original customer has finished using them. In some countries, Baxter leases most of these products to customers, which helps ensure that products will be returned to Baxter after a set period of time.

Repair and refurbishment extends a product's useful life and decreases the environmental impacts associated with product disposal and the manufacture of new products. For example, in Europe in 2008, Baxter conducted about 41,900 maintenance events and repairs on products, an increase of nine percent from 2007.

In the United States, Baxter refurbished a total of about 27,000 renal machines in 2008.

Recycling

Regulations worldwide reflect the recent focus on electronic product recycling. For example, the WEEE Directive impacts a range of Baxter products in Europe, including dialysis machines, IV pumps and other electronic devices. The WEEE Directive requires companies to arrange for the take-back of electronic products at end-of-life to enable the recovery and recycling of product components and materials. Baxter is in full compliance in all EU member states where the regulations have been adopted and has registered to and joined appropriate compliance programs.

In early 2008, Baxter launched its Producer Responsibility in Europe website that provides customers detailed information about how to recycle Baxter products covered by the WEEE Directive in each of 20 countries.

When customers return products to Baxter that contain batteries, such as infusion pumps, or when Baxter repairs those products on-site, Baxter sends the batteries to a recycler whenever feasible. Baxter has a global audit program covering all regulated or medical waste recycling or disposal sites that Baxter uses for waste generated internally. As part of this program, trained Baxter auditors assess battery recycling sites before using the vendor and then at least once every four years to ensure they comply with Baxter's requirements and conduct their operations in a responsible manner. These audits examine all aspects of operations, including site history, possible contamination sources, regulatory compliance, financial conditions, insurance and other factors.

In addition, Baxter works with customers and end-users to facilitate recycling. For example, Baxter is a charter member of the Chicago Waste to Profit Network, a public-private partnership launched in 2007 through which companies and other organizations work to identify and develop ways to convert waste from one company into value for another. During 2008, the network diverted more than 43,000 metric tons of waste from landfill, decreased over 28,000 tons of CO₂ e emissions, and brought nearly $2 million of economic return to its member organizations.

In Ireland, Baxter launched a program in 2007 with local waste management contractors to provide pick-up services at patient residences for home-use oncology and general compounded products such as vials, needles and drugs that cannot be processed with regular municipal waste. The contractors collect, process and dispose of the products as required by law¹, while protecting patient confidentiality and privacy. This provides a valued service to patients and communities while ensuring environmentally responsible waste disposal.

Building on the original initiative, in 2008 Baxter launched a similar program for renal products supplied to all home patients in Ireland. Materials classified as “clinical” waste such as over pouches, bags, cassettes and shields are processed as described in footnote 1. The program also collects recyclable materials such as cardboard from patients’ homes where local authorities don’t offer this service.

In 2008, these two programs benefited approximately 600 customers.

¹ Oncology products are classed as "hazardous” waste in Ireland which requires specialized incineration. Non-hazardous medical waste is classed as "clinical” waste and is sterilized and shredded before the material is accepted for landfill.