Assessing the Cradle-to-Gate Environmental Burden of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Manufacturing using Life Cycle Assessment Methodology

Ensuring sufficient vaccine supply to resource-constrained settings is a paramount global health priority. As climate change threatens disruption of global supply chains, vaccine manufacturers have a duty to evaluate their own supply chains and production facilities to understand how they can engage in more environmentally sustainable manufacturing. However, few publicly available environmental impact models have been developed for vaccine production. Discussed here is a novel model developed to capture environmental impact of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine manufacturing from upstream material inputs for fermentation, cell processing, and clarification, through filling and packaging. Findings include a calculated carbon footprint of 1.20 kg CO2 eq per dose of packaged vaccine. Energy demand for fermentation steps accounted for 60% of total system emissions. Fermentation energy demand was 60–65% of model impact for ozone depletion and human toxicity. Emissions heavily depend on grid geography and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; an Indian production facility would generate 130% greater emissions than one using a European energy mix. Regardless of location, manufacturers can take important steps to reduce emissions, such as strategies focused on process intensification and continuous batch manufacturing. Often, these improvements offer economic gains, which in turn incentivize development of more sustainable production practices.