Towards a Sustainable Biotech Industry: Innovations, Challenges and Policy Implications

Efforts to make the world more sustainable have been largely influenced by biotechnology, as was discussed in our last article. Companies such as Bright Biotech, Biobean and Holiferm are prime examples of this in the UK. However, it’s not just about the innovative technologies and products that biotech companies create. The biotech and healthcare industries must also lead by example and strive for greater sustainability in their operations and processes.

As more companies in these sectors recognise this, they are beginning to explore ways to reduce their environmental footprint and create a more sustainable future for all. This article will delve into some examples of how the biotech sector is evolving and examine the role of policymakers in incentivising this industry to change and innovate for sustainability.

Sustainability in the Healthcare and Biotech industries: Current Initiatives and Future Directions

One of the issues of concern in the healthcare and biotech sectors is single-use plastics. For example, in the healthcare sector, the global use of plastics is estimated at 15 million tonnes per year. In Europe, it is estimated that 36% of the waste generated by this sector is plastics and even more worrying is that 42% of that is incinerated [1].

The NHS is one of the largest producers of healthcare waste and single-use plastics, with 11,300 tonnes of waste per day, of which 22.7% is plastic. Several initiatives tackle this problem, such as the Greener NHS programme and NHS sustainability commitments under Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ NHS programme. During 2019 and 2020, the actions implemented in this plan have removed 200,000 single-use plastic items waste from trusts, saved the system around £12,000 and reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 224 kt [2]

In 2015, a group of researchers from the University of Exeter estimated that worldwide, biological research institutions produce 5.5 million tonnes of plastic waste per year, equivalent to 1.8% of global plastic production [3]. Today, most research institutions are aware of the impact that generates single-use plastics and have taken action to reduce and reuse some materials. It is not always possible to reuse plastic material in laboratories as it brings with it the associated problem of contamination [4]. However, reducing the plastic unnecessarily bought, and the amount of plastic used in the different experiments is more feasible than reusing it. One of the most commonly used consumables in laboratories is plastic pipette tips, usually bought in plastic boxes of 96. Start-ups such as TipEasy are tackling this problem by developing an automated pipette tip-racking system which allows tip boxes to be refilled through a robotic device. This device will save a small biological facility about £100k yearly in pipette tips cost.

Another widely used consumable in scientific research is the foetal bovine serum (FBS). Its use dates back to around 1950, but in recent years has been questioned due to ethical issues and market challenges, leading to a search for new alternatives [6]. Bovine ocular fluid, sericin protein, human platelet lysate (HPL), and earthworm heat-inactivated coelomic fluid (HI-CF) are emerging as alternatives to using FBS. However, much research remains to be done to find a substitute that achieves the same results as FBS [6].

Some biotech companies are working to replace the use of animal-derived products. For instance, Manchester Biogel has developed a series of synthetic peptide hydrogels for cell culture. These hydrogels are highly reproducible, biocompatible and biodegradable [7]. Another company committed to this purpose is Bright Biotech. The company has developed a technology that uses chloroplasts to express valuable proteins (i.e. growth factors) in plants, thus contributing to the sustainability of the R&D sector [8].

If we talk about sustainability in research, there are many other factors to consider, such as the use of water and energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and chemicals [9]. Nowadays, initiatives are supporting the environmental sustainability of research, such as The Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) developed by University College London in 2018. LEAF is a programme that allows laboratories to become more sustainable through self-assessment using different tools in a user-friendly platform. These tools include calculators to estimate carbon and financial savings impact. Finally, laboratories are awarded a Bronze, Silver or Gold level depending on the number of sustainability actions they undertake [10].

From using renewable energy sources to developing more sustainable manufacturing processes, the biotech industry is starting to take steps towards a greener future. Many companies and institutions in the sector have implemented various initiatives dedicated to addressing the sustainability of their research. However, there is a need for an overarching public policy framework to achieve a solid commitment to sustainability at local and global levels.

International and national action for a sustainable future

Climate change’s unprecedented risks have pushed this topic to the forefront of international conversation. Governments and policymakers have identified the need to reduce carbon emissions and reach a “net-zero” goal by 2070 to avoid catastrophe. This goal was set out in the 2015 United Nations’ Paris Agreement, where nations set out targets to reduce global warming (originating from carbon emissions) to a limit of 2°C, with a more ambitious target of 1.5°C.

The UK, in particular, has often led the way among western countries in addressing climate change. In response to the climate agreement, a Committee on Climate Change was set up to inform on domestic actions the UK government must take to follow the agreement’s roadmap [11]. The immediate goals of the UK government around sustainability have been outlined in a series of policies, namely the government’s Clean Growth Strategy and the 25-year Environmental Plan [12, 13].

The Clean Growth Strategy highlights that it is necessary to mobilise more capital in sustainable projects and develop more innovative risk-sharing financial structures for investment in low-carbon technology. This is demonstrated by the government’s financial commitment to innovative technologies through the availability of public funding. Funds have been distributed through programmes such as the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme. Here, £20 million of new investment is dedicated to supporting clean technology early-stage funding and an extra £14 million for the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund.

In the 25-year environmental plan, two key outlined targets are maximising resource efficiency and minimising environmental impacts at end-of-life. To aid with these targets, the government has set out plans for a Bioeconomy Strategy, which will build on the UK’s strengths to ensure it develops a world-class bio-based economy by removing the dependence on finite fossil resources.

Within the frameworks set by both plans, adopting bioscience and biotechnology is a key consideration. In the Clean Energy Strategy, such solutions are proposed to overcome the challenges associated with bioenergy, waste, and land use. Moreover, among the explored potential pathways to reach 2050, one explored pathway is the emissions removal pathway, which entails biotech-based innovations such as greenhouse gas removal (GGR) technologies. Likewise, in the 25-year environmental plan, several active projects have sought to utilise biotechnology to address critical challenges. For example, the goal of zero avoidable plastic waste by 2042 is partially addressed by encouraging the development of bio-based plastic through the Bioeconomy Strategy.

On the ground, various public entities have been responsible for enacting the governmental roadmap towards net zero. Leading the way is the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a non-departmental public body that directs research and innovation funding. Importantly, the UKRI brings together UK-based research councils, including Innovate UK and Research England, and its partners to facilitate the application of the UKRI Environmental Sustainability Strategy [14]. The organisation aims to leverage its expertise to direct research and innovation towards addressing the main environmental sustainability challenges we face. Further, the organisation itself aspires to be net-zero by 2040.

This is only an example of government initiatives to combat global warming, but many more exist [15]. Nevertheless, we cannot dismiss the private sector’s role in overcoming the global warming threat. It is imperative that the regulatory frameworks and policies put in place continue to provide a platform for companies to explore novel technologies for better and more efficient sustainability. You can learn more about the role of the private sector and biotech innovations in the fight for sustainability here.

References

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‌Subbiahanadar Chelladurai, et al. (2021). Alternative to FBS in animal cell culture – An overview and future perspective. Heliyon, [online] 7(8), p.e07686.
Kilburn, L. (2022). Hydrogel Cell Culture – 3D Cell Culture Hydrogel | Manchester BIOGEL. [online] Manchester BIOGEL. Available at: https://manchesterbiogel.com/.
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Sustainability has become a topic of increasing interest in today’s world. Day-to-day human activities have always involved using resources from nature, but it is commonplace that the resources used are finite and/or non-biodegradable. Indeed, the planet is still a lot larger than the scale of human activities have reached today, but with the persistent and uncontrolled usage of such high-risk resources over the centuries, their harmful effects have become even more prominent.

A well-known environmental crisis you most likely have heard of is global warming. Fossil fuel burning has long been increasing the levels of carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas that traps heat – in the atmosphere [1], which has gradually raised its temperature. Warmer atmospheric temperatures have subsequently warmed the oceans, melted glaciers and ice caps, and worsened weather conditions, leading to rising sea levels, intensified heat waves and droughts, and an increased frequency of destructive storms [2]. This has culminated in the destruction of animal habitats, bleaching of coral reefs, and irreparable damage to people’s livelihoods and communities.

Other human activities affect the global population just as significantly. For example, the food production industry releases greenhouse gases like methane which account for 35% of global emissions, with animal agriculture representing 57% of these emissions [3]. Cattle farming has been found to be responsible for the destruction of 80% of Amazon forests and 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The use of non-biodegradable plastics is also popularly known to fill oceans and kill wildlife through the ingestion of microplastics that wound them, and impair their feeding capacity, breeding capacity and ability to avoid predators. Microplastics are formed from the breakdown of these non-biodegradable plastics, and an average of 68% of 337 fishes sampled from the Mediterranean Sea were found to carry a notably large amount of microplastics [4].

The frequency and magnitude of the effects of global warming are expected to increase without immediate collective intervention. The United Nations, therefore, launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda in 2015 to address ongoing worldwide issues including the aforementioned sustainability problems. As a result, many big companies today across a wide variety of sectors are responding to the government’s call to achieve these goals. For example, The Coca-Cola Company has reported their investment in the development of 100% plant-based biodegradable plastic bottles [5].

The concerns for sustainability bring in demands for technological innovation in a wide variety of areas. Innovation in biotechnology, in particular, is bound to play a big role in this sustainability movement.

How can biotechnology help sustainability?

Biotechnology is a powerful scientific field that can help the world become more sustainable by harnessing nature’s intelligence perfected in millions of years of evolution [6]. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, biotechnology is defined as ‘the manipulation (as through genetic engineering) of living organisms or their components to produce useful, usually commercial products (such as pest resistant crops, new bacterial strains, or novel pharmaceuticals)’ [7]. Biotechnology tackles the sustainability issue in two main ways. First, by using biotechnology, biologically derived products are produced through alternative, more sustainable processes compared to traditional ones. For example, the production of flavourings through biotechnology is a more sustainable process compared to the traditional extraction method from large quantities of plants. Additionally, biotechnology can offer solutions to environmental damage through clean technology. One example is represented by genetically manipulated microorganisms that can clean up oil spills [8].

Biotechnology is already making an impact in several sectors such as agriculture, energy, the food industry, and materials. For example, in agriculture, the cultivation of genetically modified plants leads to higher crop yields, increased resistance to pests, and smaller cropland surfaces that are used. Additionally, crops can be enriched with beneficial compounds. For example, the widely known Golden Rice project, recently approved in the Philippines, aims to combat vitamin A deficiency in low-income countries through the genetic modification of rice plants to synthesise carotenes [9]. Biotechnology also positively impacts the energy sector. For example, the UK start-up company Vivergo Fuels produces biofuels from the excessive starch component of wheat crops, embracing the concept of circular economy [10]. Similarly, biological fibre waste can be recycled into sugars which are further used in the food industry [11].

A significant contribution of biotechnology in the food sector is represented by cultured and plant-based meats, aiming to meet the increased demand of a growing global population whilst eliminating slaughter, reducing the use of antibiotics, and supporting sustainability through utilising less energy, water and land and reducing CO2 emissions [12]. Companies such as Quest Meat in the UK work extensively researching optimum ingredients and bioprocessing tools for the growing sector of cultured meat [13]. Connected to the food industry is the problem of single-use plastic packaging, which can be successfully tackled using biodegradable (and even edible) engineered protein-based packaging. This is the case of Xompla, a successful start-up company in the UK that has already reached the market through a partnership with meal kit retailer Gousto, saving around 17 tonnes of plastic packaging per year [14, 15].

Biotechnology also has an impact on our everyday activities. For example, enzymes present in new-generation detergents can save energy through their action at lower temperatures, compared to surfactants-only based formulas [6]. The fashion industry also benefits from biotechnology, either through the use of more sustainable and less hazardous dyes [6,16] or through the use of very small weaving machines – microbes [17]. Biotechnology can also make the construction sector more sustainable. For example, the UKRI-backed start-up company Mykor is developing carbon-negative construction materials from fungi waste [18].

Challenges and outlooks

It is indisputable that biotechnology-based innovations have offered a new dimension in the battle against the sustainability problem. However, it is important to acknowledge that embracing biotech for this purpose comes with its limitations. Biotech receives scrutiny from the likes of consumers, financial analysts, the media, and regulatory agencies. The way this can be solved is for biotech companies to leverage automated compliance software to keep up-to-date on legislative changes. A further challenge is contract manufacturing, with biotech companies looking to bring their products to market in this way. Although using contract manufacturers reduces capital and outlay costs, they do introduce uncertainties with quality assurance. A way this can be avoided is by companies using their own compliance management systems to increase downstream visibility. There is also the issue of competition in the biotech industry being intense, with companies having to keep up with the pace of new innovation to be able to survive long term. Maintaining this however is expensive and time-consuming for the respective companies with there being no guarantee that a new product will be successful. This serves to dissuade companies from pursuing more sustainable products especially when the trade-off is lower profitability and tighter margins. One way to overcome this uncertainty can be resolved by the company using quantitative risk management software or looking at change management software that incorporates quality measures [19].

In spite of these challenges, the adoption of biotechnology-based solutions to address sustainability has steadily increased in a range of industries, as was demonstrated above. Moreover, an increase in technological capabilities will enhance the ability of innovative companies to deliver more sustainable products, which will be less time-consuming and more cost-effective, ultimately leading to the growth of this field.

Nevertheless, the pace of technological development and rate of adoption of such products are highly dependent on the measures in place to support sustainability in various industries. These measures typically manifest as governmental policies and programmes that play a significant role in dictating where the field goes. It therefore begs the question, what steps have been taken, both internationally and nationally, to support the sustainability initiative, particularly in relation to biotechnology? This question, as well as, how biotechnology itself can become more sustainable, will be explored extensively in our next article.

As a closing statement, we must emphasise that the primary driver behind making our way of living more sustainable is environmental preservation, and ultimately, human preservation. We must therefore strive to find alternatives to harmful products and processes that have substantially contributed to the predicament we now face. Embracing innovative sectors such as biotechnology will undoubtedly enable us to achieve this critical goal.

This incredibly important topic will be the focus of Innovation Forum Manchester’s next event, ‘biotech innovation for a sustainable future’, in early February. More details to be provided closer to the time.

References

US EPA. (2016). Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data | US EPA. [online] Available at: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data.
Trentino Cultura. (2021). Permanent glaciers: the crisis of a habitat and its biodiversity that we can no longer ignore. [online] Available at: https://www.cultura.trentino.it/eng/Further-reading/Permanent-glaciers-the-crisis-of-a-habitat-and-its-biodiversity-that-we-can-no-longer-ignore
EcoWatch (2021). Animal Agriculture Responsible for 57% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Food Production, Study Finds. [online] EcoWatch. Available at: https://www.ecowatch.com/animal-agriculture-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2655032993.html.
Martín-Lara, M.A., Godoy, V., Quesada, L., Lozano, E.J. and Calero, M. (2021). Environmental status of marine plastic pollution in Spain. Marine Pollution Bulletin, [online] 170, p.112677. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112677.
The Coca-Cola Company. (2021). Bottles Made From 100% Plant Plastic | The Coca-Cola Company. [online] Available at: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/news/100-percent-plant-based-plastic-bottle ‌
Clara Rodríguez Fernández (2021). 10 Ways Biotechnology Makes the World More Sustainable. [online] Labiotech.eu. Available at: https://www.labiotech.eu/best-biotech/sustainable-biotechnology/.
Merriam-webster.com. (2022). Merriam-Webster Dictionary. [online] Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biotechnology.‌
Chulalongkorn University (2022). Chula Launches a Bioproduct ‘Microbes to Clean Up Oil Spill in the Ocean’. [online] Prnewswire.co.uk. Available at: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/chula-launches-a-bioproduct-microbes-to-clean-up-oil-spill-in-the-ocean-301642450.html
Mayer, J. (2021). The Golden Rice Project. [online] Goldenrice.org. Available at: https://www.goldenrice.org/index.php.
Vivergo Fuels. (2015). Process | Vivergo Fuels. [online] Available at: https://vivergofuels.com/process/.
The Supplant Company. (2022). The Supplant Company – Sugars from fiber. [online] Available at: https://supplant.com/.
Holmes, D., Humbird, D., Dutkiewicz, J., Tejeda-Saldana, Y., Duffy, B. and Datar, I. (2022). Cultured meat needs a race to mission not a race to market. Nature Food, [online] 3(10), pp.785–787. doi:10.1038/s43016-022-00586-9.
Quest Meat. (2022). Quest Meat | The Food Revolution. [online] Available at: https://www.questmeat.com/.
Xampla. (2022). Xampla – natural alternative to plastic. [online] Available at: https://www.xampla.com/.
Niamh Leonard-Bedwell (2021). Gousto trials edible stock cube wrappers to cut plastic use. [online] The Grocer. Available at: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/plastic/gousto-trials-edible-stock-cube-wrappers-to-cut-plastic-use/661116.article.
Colorifix. (2019). Colorifix. [online] Available at: https://colorifix.com/ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2022].
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ETQ. (2022). Top Challenges Facing Biotech Today and Tackling Them | ETQ. [online] Available at: https://www.etq.com/blog/top-3-challenges-facing-biotech-today-and-how-to-tackle-them/ .

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