Green biomanufacturing: reducing carbon footprints in vaccine and biologics production
1
Infectious Diseases, Global Empathy Project, Lusaka, Zambia
2
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
3
Directorate of Licensing, Surveillance and Enforcement, Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA), Lusaka, Zambia
4
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
5
Reproductive Health, Pan African University Life and Earth Sciences (including Health and Agriculture), Ibadan, Nigeria
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
the environmental burden of conventional vaccine and biologics production has become increasingly and remarkably unsustainable due to high energy consumption, water usage and greenhouse gas emissions. green biomanufacturing offers a transformative alternative by integrating renewable energy, sustainable raw materials, process intensification and circular supply chains. this review explores how these innovations can reduce the carbon footprint of biologics manufacturing while supporting global health and climate goals.
METHODS:
a systematic review of literature was conducted following prism guidelines. peer-reviewed articles, industrial case studies, and policy briefs published between 2010 and 2025 were retrieved from pubmed, scopus, web of science, and google scholar using predefined keywords including green biomanufacturing, low-carbon biologics, and sustainable vaccine production. studies were screened for relevance to biologics and sustainability, with inclusion and exclusion criteria applied to ensure methodological rigor. data extraction and thematic synthesis were organized into five domains: energy systems, raw materials, process design, supply chains, and socioeconomic/policy considerations.
RESULTS:
this systematic review indicates that green biomanufacturing can play a vital role in economizing energy, minimizing waste, and improving operational efficiency. the crucial strategies include the adoption of solar and wind energy, biodegradable feedstocks, continuous bioprocessing, and smart packaging. life-cycle analysis has emerged as a critical tool for evaluating environmental performance and guiding sustainable decision-making. the one health framework further reinforces the value of green biomanufacturing in addressing zoonotic disease prevention and ecosystem resilience.
CONCLUSIONS:
green biomanufacturing presents a viable pathway toward sustainable vaccine and biologics production. however, some issues remain in scaling technologies, harmonizing regulatory frameworks and therefore ensuring equitable implementation in low- and middle-income countries. addressing these barriers will cost a coordinated investment, policy reform, and interdisciplinary collaboration to build climate-conscious health systems.
the environmental burden of conventional vaccine and biologics production has become increasingly and remarkably unsustainable due to high energy consumption, water usage and greenhouse gas emissions. green biomanufacturing offers a transformative alternative by integrating renewable energy, sustainable raw materials, process intensification and circular supply chains. this review explores how these innovations can reduce the carbon footprint of biologics manufacturing while supporting global health and climate goals.
METHODS:
a systematic review of literature was conducted following prism guidelines. peer-reviewed articles, industrial case studies, and policy briefs published between 2010 and 2025 were retrieved from pubmed, scopus, web of science, and google scholar using predefined keywords including green biomanufacturing, low-carbon biologics, and sustainable vaccine production. studies were screened for relevance to biologics and sustainability, with inclusion and exclusion criteria applied to ensure methodological rigor. data extraction and thematic synthesis were organized into five domains: energy systems, raw materials, process design, supply chains, and socioeconomic/policy considerations.
RESULTS:
this systematic review indicates that green biomanufacturing can play a vital role in economizing energy, minimizing waste, and improving operational efficiency. the crucial strategies include the adoption of solar and wind energy, biodegradable feedstocks, continuous bioprocessing, and smart packaging. life-cycle analysis has emerged as a critical tool for evaluating environmental performance and guiding sustainable decision-making. the one health framework further reinforces the value of green biomanufacturing in addressing zoonotic disease prevention and ecosystem resilience.
CONCLUSIONS:
green biomanufacturing presents a viable pathway toward sustainable vaccine and biologics production. however, some issues remain in scaling technologies, harmonizing regulatory frameworks and therefore ensuring equitable implementation in low- and middle-income countries. addressing these barriers will cost a coordinated investment, policy reform, and interdisciplinary collaboration to build climate-conscious health systems.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
