New membrane tech could turn pharma wastewater into production water, cut use 50%

Novo Nordisk is testing whether wastewater from pharmaceutical production can be cleaned well enough to be used again in the manufacturing process, potentially cutting the company’s water consumption by half. The project, being carried out with researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), targets one of the more difficult forms of industrial water recycling. Pharmaceutical manufacturing requires highly purified water, particularly when the water is used to produce injectable medicines. The need is becoming more pressing. An analysis by the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences found that Denmark’s overall industrial water consumption was almost unchanged between 2012 and 2022. Pharmaceutical manufacturing was an exception, with its water consumption increasing 35.8% during the period. Novo Nordisk currently reuses some process water in cooling towers, where the water helps remove excess heat before eventually evaporating. The company now wants to determine whether wastewater generated directly by pharmaceutical production can instead be treated and returned to the manufacturing process. Reverse osmosis targets cleaner reuse “If we can recycle the wastewater streams that come from the processes in the pharmaceutical production itself, we estimate that we can reduce our water consumption by 50 per cent,” said Andreas Herfelt, Environmental Lead at Novo Nordisk. To test that 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 pushes water through a semipermeable membrane to separate it from dissolved substances. The technology alone, however, is not enough to determine whether the treated water can return to pharmaceutical production. Researchers need to establish what remains in the purified water and whether those substances could affect drug quality or patient safety. Chhetri and his colleagues are therefore continuously analysing water samples collected after the membrane treatment. The results will feed into risk assessments examining whether any remaining substances present a meaningful concern. “This is because the water used in the production of pharmaceuticals – and especially those that are to be injected – is subject to the strictest quality requirements. This is to prevent unwanted substances from ending up in the patients who need the medicine,” said Herfelt. Purified water faces strict tests The project is designed to provide Novo Nordisk with the technical evidence needed to demonstrate that recycled process water meets the necessary standards. Professor Anders Baun is also involved in preparing the risk analyses. “In the risk analyses, we assess whether there are substances remaining in the purified water and whether they pose a high or low risk. If the risk is at the high end, we look at how to address it,” said Chhetri. That makes the project different from conventional industrial water-saving efforts. Instead of simply reducing the amount of water used in a process, researchers are investigating whether the same water can be cleaned and cycled back into production. “Recycling water in a production company has great potential for water savings compared to other water-saving measures such as optimizing processes with high water consumption,” said Chhetri. For Novo Nordisk, proving that the treated water is safe enough for pharmaceutical production could also strengthen water security, particularly in areas where local water resources are under pressure. “It is with DTU’s help that we can obtain the necessary data for the Danish Medicines Agency as documentation that recycling the water will not pose any risk to either the quality of our products or patient safety,” said Herfelt.Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.With over a decade-long career in journalism, Neetika Walter has worked with The Economic Times, ANI, and Hindustan Times, covering politics, business, technology, and the clean energy sector. Passionate about contemporary culture, books, poetry, and storytelling, she brings depth and insight to her writing. When she isn’t chasing stories, she’s likely lost in a book or enjoying the company of her dogs.