Nature

Recognizing our role in protecting nature, we at Thermo Fisher Scientific are committed to zero waste and assessing our water use in water-scarce areas.

Our targets

Water

Assess water usage for water-intensive manufacturing facilities¹ in water-scarce areas

Waste

40 manufacturing and distribution sites zero-waste certified by 2027²

Water

Water is vital to life, and we aim to understand the risks associated with our impact on water scarcity and quality. In 2025, we continued to assess water usage for current water-intensive manufacturing facilities1 in water-scarce areas with an approach that includes the following priorities:

Conducting annual water scarcity assessments to manage our evolving risks and impacts, and adapting as needed when water stressors shift
Ensuring that our wastewater discharges comply with applicable laws, regulations and internal standards, with an emphasis on active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)
Continuing to monitor our operational water use and the evolution of water frameworks and working groups, such as the Science Based Targets Network, to inform future target setting

For our annual assessment, we utilize the WWF Water Risk FilterTM. Using this tool, we have identified water-intensive sites where we then complete a more detailed assessment of water usage and opportunities—a practice we will continue as needed.

Pharmaceuticals in the environment

We are actively working to eliminate the risk of adverse environmental impacts from wastewater discharge, with a specific focus on operations managing APIs. As mandated by regulatory requirements or determined by risk assessments, we require the collection and proper disposal of the first cleaning rinse of equipment used in the manufacturing or handling of APIs. This measure is taken to mitigate the release of known toxins and potent pharmaceuticals into the environment.

Across our company, water withdrawal, excluding non-contact cooling water, was lower in 2025 compared to the previous year.

For more detail, please see the Data summary.

Waste

Photo credit: Thermo Fisher colleague Zornitsa Stoykova, Facilities Specialist, provided this photo from our Clinical Research site in Sofia, Bulgaria

Our zero-waste program is informed by global industry standards, including TRUE Certification3, and considers the waste hierarchy outlined by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions potential of different disposal methods. This program initially focuses on reducing the use of natural resources in our operations, followed by shifting away from high-emission disposal methods.

At the end of 2025, we exceeded our target of 30 certified zero-waste sites, with 33 sites certified. To continue reducing our operational impact, we expanded our target to 40 certified zero-waste manufacturing and distribution sites by 2027.2 As of June 2026, 37 sites had achieved certification.

Certified zero-waste sites (Target: 40 sites by 2027)

In 2025, 14 sites were certified or recertified as zero waste, each diverting more than 90% of waste from landfill, incineration and waste-to-energy disposal. To accomplish this, our teams implemented waste management best practices, including:

Clearly labeled, color-coded recycling and waste bins to support proper sorting
Glass crushers to help recycle glass bottles
Scrap metal chipping to improve recycling value and recovery
Designated pallet staging areas to enable reuse

In 2025, we achieved a company-wide non-hazardous recycling rate of 58%.2

non-hazardous recycling rate

Photo credit: Thermo Fisher colleague Evangelos Vandoros, R&D Food Safety Certification Specialist, provided this photo of our Specialty Diagnostics team in Basingstoke, United Kingdom

Green committees in action

The Cork, Ireland site achieved zero-waste certification in 2025, delivering over a 95% waste prevention, reuse, composting and recycling rate—exceeding the certification threshold. This achievement helped Thermo Fisher exceed our 2025 zero-waste manufacturing and warehouse certification goal. Crucial initiatives included exceptional external waste stream signage and enhanced plastics segregation, enabling plastics to be sold to a third-party manufacturer. This certification was the result of great teamwork—led by strong cross-functional collaboration and the Cork Green Committee, which helped implement the efforts necessary to achieve certification.

“Achieving zero-waste certification at our Cork site reflects strong collaboration across teams and the practical actions taken every day to improve how we manage materials and waste. The Green Committee played an important role in supporting engagement across the site and helping turn ideas into real progress.”

Ann Holland

Energy Manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific

Waste reduction highlights

E-waste

Through our corporate e-waste disposal program 16,595 electrical assets were refurbished for reuse and 42,338 assets were recycled in 2025, avoiding over 3,695 tCO2e.4

Wastewater

In Florence, South Carolina, we redirected over 900,000 kilograms (kg) of solvent waste from external waste-to-energy disposal to solvent recovery since 2024.

Reduce

In Bedford, Massachusetts, we optimized our POROS production processes to reduce solvent waste by over 23,000 kg in 2024, equivalent to over $70,000 in savings.

Reuse

At our St. Louis, Missouri site, we partnered with our waste hauler to repurpose spent sodium hydroxide pellets for air scrubber cleaning in 2024, reducing waste-to-energy volume by 13,000 kg annually and saving $170,000.

Biodiversity is essential to the health of ecosystems and the resilience of the communities and supply chains in which we operate. To manage our evolving risks and impacts, we conduct annual biodiversity assessments, which have not resulted in material changes to our approach. We also continue to monitor the evolution of nature-related frameworks and working groups, such as the Science Based Targets Network.

Endnote:

Water-intensive means a facility using over 25,000 cubic meters of freshwater per year.
Zero waste is defined by Thermo Fisher as less than 10% of waste disposal to landfill, incineration, or waste-to-energy facilities, excluding regulated wastes.
TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) strives to change the way materials flow through society so that all products are eventually reused and diverted from landfill, incineration (waste-to-energy) and the environment. Source: https://true.gbci.org/
Emissions avoided determined and provided by Sims Lifecycle Services.

Last updated: July 2026

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD.

For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com