Waste recycled includes hazardous and non-hazardous waste reused, recovered or recycled including in-process reuse of solvents. The total waste recycled as a proportion of total waste generated is tracked as a key performance indicator. In 2001 the total waste generated was 510.3 million kilograms. In 2002 the total waste generated decreased 5% to 484.9 million kilograms. In 2001 and 2002 the proportions of waste recycled were 72.8% and 73.4% respectively, a 1% improvement in waste recycled.

In 2001, we reported 365.8 million kilograms of recycled waste. After a review of the 2001 data, a slight revision of the baseline was necessary to ensure consistent reporting. The revised 2001 baseline is 371.6 million kilograms. In 2002, GSK recycled 355.9 million kilograms of waste, 4% less than in 2001, due to an overall decrease in total waste produced. However, waste recycled as a proportion of total waste produced increased 1% reflecting our efforts to produce less waste and to maximise recycling of any waste produced.

Nearly 72% of waste recycled in 2002 was hazardous waste, primarily solvents. Seventy nine percent (79%) of all hazardous waste recycled is the solvents recovered and reused at two large primary manufacturing sites. In addition to hazardous waste recycled onsite there are three other components of total waste recycled: non-hazardous waste recycled onsite, non-hazardous waste recycled offsite and hazardous waste recycled offsite. Percent increases for these components were 106%, 19.6% and 14.7%, respectively. However, since the dominant component of total waste recycled is hazardous waste recycled onsite, which decreased 12.9%, there was an overall decrease in total waste recycled.

A target has been set to increase the proportion of total waste recycled by 10% by the end of 2005.

GSK's R&D site in Harlow, UK succeeded in tackling an upward trend in the amount of waste being sent to landfill. New recycling programmes were initiated and backed-up by a recycling awareness campaign. Waste management and recycling awareness became part of the site's induction training for new employees, and was included in refresher training for groups such as Pharmaceutical Development. It was also made a focus for support staff, who are key to recycling programmes. The programmes were uncomplicated and included such things as providing recycling boxes for spent photocopier toner and printer cartridges, providing desktop "Treecycler" boxes for the collection of all types of paper, recycling confidential and non-confidential waste paper. Containers in vending and restaurant areas were designated for the recycling of aluminium cans. Another cardboard baler was provided. The results of this twofold approach were dramatic. Making recycling more convenient and increasing awareness increased recycling substantially. 716% increase in aluminium can recycling (8 times better than 2001) 128% increase in plastic cup recycling (from 1,852kg to 4,221kg) 67% increase in toner cartridge recycling (from 1,412kg to 2,358kg) 59 % increase in paper recycling (from 12,733kg to 195,046kg) 38% increase in cardboard recycling