We have made great strides to reduce and mitigate waste throughout Our Family of Companies and are identifying new ways to reduce waste even further.
Proper waste reduction and disposal is critical to maintaining a healthy planet. Our Healthy Planet 2010 goal was to reduce hazardous and non-hazardous waste by 10 percent from our 2005 baseline. We are pleased that we have exceeded this goal, with a 25 percent decrease in hazardous waste and 12 percent reduction in non-hazardous waste between 2005 and 2010. Yet, there is more to do. We intend to achieve a 10 percent absolute reduction in total waste disposal using 2010 as a baseline.
Waste reuse and recycling efforts have yielded good results, as well aided by growing markets for reused hazardous and non-hazardous materials. Waste streams formerly disposed as hazardous waste are in some cases, now brokered for reuse.
For example, by sending approximately 75,000 gallons of acetone annually to the automobile and paint industries for reuse as lacquer thinner, off-site hazardous waste disposal was reduced by more than 50 percent at our Global Pharmaceutical Supply Group (ALZA) in Vacaville, CA.
Waste Disposal Remediation
Johnson & Johnson was remediating contamination at 17 current or former facilities at a cost of $8.4 million in 2010. We hold approximately $50 million in reserve for the continued cleanup of these sites and for any potential waste-disposal site liabilities.
