As part of the drug discovery and development process, Merck assesses the potential environmental and human health effects of our products.

Since the early 1990s we have used this information to establish compound-specific criteria and procedures to assure that our factory discharges do not contain residual product that presents a risk to human health or the environment. For more on pharmaceuticals in the environment, see the Product Stewardship section.

Merck operates its own wastewater treatment plants at 23 of our production and research facilities. The wastewater from the remainder of our large production and research facilities is sent to a local municipal wastewater treatment facility.

In 2010, Merck began making investments in new wastewater treatment plants and in improving the operation of existing treatment plants worldwide. Merck has set goals to reduce both Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from our discharges and expects to achieve these reductions through the new and/or upgrading wastewater treatment plants in our facilities.