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Water management
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Solutions for global water management
Efficiency is also the key issue when it comes to one of our most precious natural resources, water. At present, some 70 percent of the world’s freshwater taken from lakes, rivers and aquifers is used in agriculture, and the figure is rising. Global warming will make the water shortage even worse. Bayer AG’s three subgroups have initiated projects on sustainable water management in their different business units.
At Bayer MaterialScience, a new process has been developed for the production of polycarbonate, enabling considerable volumes of process water to be saved.
Bayer CropScience, too, must adapt to changes in cultivation methods or in the use of agricultural crops. To discuss the effects of increasing water shortages and possible countermeasures, Bayer CropScience organized a workshop in October 2006 attended by representatives from its many different departments as well as external stakeholders.
Bayer CropScience is already involved in numerous projects to foster the efficient use and protection of water. Here are some examples:
At Bayer MaterialScience, a new process has been developed for the production of polycarbonate, enabling considerable volumes of process water to be saved.
Bayer CropScience, too, must adapt to changes in cultivation methods or in the use of agricultural crops. To discuss the effects of increasing water shortages and possible countermeasures, Bayer CropScience organized a workshop in October 2006 attended by representatives from its many different departments as well as external stakeholders.
Bayer CropScience is already involved in numerous projects to foster the efficient use and protection of water. Here are some examples:
- Providing solutions for healthy plants as these use water more efficiently,
- Introduction of integrated water protection methods in the areas of research, development and product stewardship,
- Encouraging land management programs to support better water management.
Supply networks: Relined with new materials
In the United Kingdom, the provision of adequate drinking water supplies has become a problem, especially in the big cities. One of the reasons is old, leaking water pipes. In London, for example, one third of the expensively treated drinking water is lost because of leakages. A new coating system is now being used to reline damaged drinking water pipes on a permanent basis 
. Thanks to this coating, which is based on raw materials from Bayer MaterialScience, pipelines can be relined permanently and also very much faster than before. The modern generation of inliners was used for the first time in 2005 in maintenance work in the United Kingdom. In 2006, the technology received the Queen’s Award in the “Innovation” category, and, by the end of 2006, had also proved itself in other projects in Ireland, Norway, Spain and India.
. Thanks to this coating, which is based on raw materials from Bayer MaterialScience, pipelines can be relined permanently and also very much faster than before. The modern generation of inliners was used for the first time in 2005 in maintenance work in the United Kingdom. In 2006, the technology received the Queen’s Award in the “Innovation” category, and, by the end of 2006, had also proved itself in other projects in Ireland, Norway, Spain and India. Pharmaceutical residues in the water: Investigations continued
Before we launch a new product onto the market, we carry out wide-ranging analysis, in the course of which we investigate its eco-toxicological potential for example. That also applies to our active pharmaceutical ingredients. With the introduction of environmental risk assessments for the licensing of new drugs in the eu, which has been obligatory since the end of 2006, the effects on the environment are now also regulated. We also evaluate on an ongoing basis active ingredients that are already on the market, especially hormones, antibiotics and contrast media. Toxicologists and ecotoxicologists at our company are very much involved in the scientific evaluation of environmental risks of our active pharmaceutical ingredients by carrying out research of their own. Based on present knowledge, there is no reason to suppose that either the x-ray contrast media or the antibiotics or hormones constitute any risk to the environment.
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