Report: Carbon and Water Footprints of Tobacco-Based vs. Synthetic Nicotine
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What is the carbon footprint of nicotine? It depends on the source, and the difference is large.
An independent study finds that nicotine derived from tobacco plants emits up to 12 times the amount of greenhouse gases, and uses vastly more water, compared to synthetic nicotine.
How does method of nicotine production affect climate change (greenhouse gases) and water security? Commissioned by Zanoprima, the attached independent study compares the environmental impact of producing S-nicotine from tobacco and from chemical synthesis. Eric Johnson, Managing Director of Atlantic Consulting of Zurich, authored the report. Johnson is a sustainability expert with decades of experience and extensive peer-reviewed publications.
The study measures carbon intensity and water intensity: the amount of greenhouse-gases emitted and water consumed per unit of S-nicotine produced. The scope of the analysis is “cradle-to-gate”: from raw materials, to the gate of the plant supplying pharma-grade nicotine.
NICOTINE’S CARBON AND WATER FOOTPRINTS: KEY FINDINGS1
Carbon footprint. Fuel-curing and cultivation account for nearly all of plant-derived nicotine’s carbon footprint (carbon intensity). Compared to synthetic nicotine, for each unit of nicotine produced...
The carbon intensity of nicotine from fuel-cured tobacco is 12 times higher.
The carbon intensity of nicotine derived from air-cured tobacco is 2 - 4 times higher.
Water footprint. Due to irrigation, the water intensity of plant-derived nicotine is enormously larger compared to synthetic nicotine.
At a 1.1% nicotine concentration in tobacco, it takes nearly 440 thousand kilograms of water to produce 1 kilogram of tobacco based nicotine. That’s roughly equal to 3,900 bathtubs full of water (typical U.S. size), said Johnson.
Synthetic nicotine production has a negative water intensity. Some of the chemical processes in its production chain generate water.
Significance of findings. The difference between two products’ carbon or water footprints should be at least 15%. “Less than that can be random error,” Johnson said. “Twelve times higher is a long chalk from fifteen percent.”
An example illustrates the environmental benefit of a switch from fuel-cured tobacco-based nicotine to synthetic nicotine. “The carbon savings – per kilogram of nicotine – would be roughly equal to driving a typical European car for 10,000 kilometers,” said Johnson. “That’s about the average per-year per-person travel by car in Europe.”
We often assume “natural” sources are better. When it comes to protecting the environment, this study finds high-quality synthetic nicotine to be significantly superior to tobacco-based nicotine.
1 Comparing synthetic nicotine (from Zanoprima’s ZSN process) to tobacco based nicotine.
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Carbon Footprint of Nicotine by Source – Executive Summary
SYNTHETIC NICOTINE: NEW FRONTIER FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Until recently, assessment of the environmental impact of tobacco products focused on cigarette butts and packaging waste4. Advances in nicotine synthesis open a new ESG frontier. We can now compare the environmental footprints of tobacco-based and synthetic nicotine.
Synthetic nicotine is not a regulatory workaround or gimmick. It’s used today in both medicinal and recreational products. Historically, many pharmaceutical ingredients began as plant medicines; think dried willow bark and aspirin. As technology advances and costs come down, synthetic alternatives can provide consistent purity and traceability, and save trees.
New reduced-risk tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco-free pouches, are agnostic regarding nicotine source. Reduced harm to health and to the environment can go hand in hand.
With synthetic nicotine now a feasible option, and more life-cycle data available on nicotine production, it makes sense to assess the environmental footprint of synthetic nicotine vs. tobacco-derived nicotine.
STUDYING NICOTINE’S CARBON AND WATER FOOTPRINTS
To this end, Zanoprima Lifesciences commissioned an independent study of how nicotine production affects climate change (greenhouse gases) and water security. The attached independent report gives the results of that study, comparing the environmental impact of producing S-nicotine from tobacco and from chemical synthesis.
The report was authored by Eric Johnson, Managing Director of Atlantic Consulting of Zurich. Johnson is an independent expert with decades of experience and extensive peer-reviewed publications. Using life-cycle assessment, Johnson routinely measures the environmental impact of products and services.
The study measures two well-known environmental impacts: carbon intensity and water intensity. Put another way, it’s the amount of greenhouse-gases emitted and water consumed per unit of S-nicotine produced. The scope of the analysis is “cradle-to-gate”: from raw materials, to the gate of the plant supplying pharma-grade nicotine.
KEY STUDY FINDINGS
Comparing synthetic nicotine (from Zanoprima’s ZSN process) to tobacco based nicotine.
DIFFERENCE IN CARBON FOOTPRINT. Fuel-curing and cultivation account for nearly all of plant-derived nicotine’s carbon footprint (a.k.a. carbon intensity).
Compared to synthetic nicotine, for each unit of nicotine produced...
The carbon intensity of nicotine from fuel-cured tobacco is 12 times higher
The carbon intensity of nicotine derived from air-cured tobacco is two to four times
higher.
DIFFERENCE IN WATER FOOTPRINT. Tobacco plants are thirsty. Due to irrigation, the waterintensity of plant-derived nicotine is enormously larger compared to synthetic nicotine.
At a 1.1% nicotine concentration in tobacco, it takes nearly 440 thousand kilograms of water to produce 1 kilogram of tobacco based nicotine. That’s roughly equal to 3,900 bathtubs full of water (typical U.S. size), said Johnson.
Synthetic nicotine production actually has a negative water intensity. Some of the chemical processes in its production chain generate water, ending with a net water gain.
Is this a meaningful difference? Johnson says yes. To be significant, the difference between two products’ carbon or water footprints should be at least 15%. “Less than that can be random error,” he said. “Twelve times higher is a long chalk from fifteen percent.”
Here’s another way to visualize the environmental benefit of a switch from fuel-cured tobacco- based nicotine to synthetic nicotine. “The carbon savings – per kilogram of nicotine – would be roughly equal to driving a typical European car for 10,000 kilometers,” said Johnson. “That’s about the average per-year per-person travel by car in Europe.”
What difference could it make if all nicotine used were switched to synthetic? Here’s one example, employing that car analogy.
Researchers estimated5 that in 2020, 68 million people worldwide were using e-cigarettes. Based on median amounts of nicotine concentrated in vapes, and used per person, Johnson calculated that vapers consumed about 2.5 million kilograms of nicotine that year. Suppose that in 2020 the entire vaping world had used tobacco-based nicotine. “If they’d all switched to synthetic,” said Johnson, “it would be like eliminating the annual emissions of 2.5 million average European cars.”
The shift from smoking to reduced-risk products is accelerating6. In 2021, an estimated 82 million people were vaping globally7. Other reduced-harm nicotine alternatives attract millions more (from pouches to NRTs to shisha).
Over a billion humans still obtain nicotine from deadly combustible tobacco. Synthetic nicotine shows huge potential to bring about positive change—benefiting forests, farms, and lungs.
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THE YEAR THAT WAS - ROUNDUP 2023
In a time of tumult, turmoil, and great economic upheaval, we start 2024 enthused about the potential for Zanoprima to contribute to healthier, more sustainable, and reliable nicotine products. Our strong professional team, which covers toxicology, epidemiology, advanced chemistry, regulatory and business disciplines with a global perspective is geared up to act.
Tragic death of Ashok Narasimhan
Our CEO and founder, Ashok Narasimhan, sadly died in October, after a long, brave, and tough battle with a debilitating disease. The Zanoprima team has lost a great visionary. Coming from the pharmaceutical industry, Ashok was committed to finding a way to improve the lives of millions through science-based solutions and invention. By reason of his sheer determination and hard work, he and his team invented a process for producing high quality nicotine not derived from tobacco, which is devoid of known harmful impurities such as TSNA's. His four decades of leading innovation in pharma and related fields continues through Zanoprima Lifesciences with the team he put together to make his vision become a reality. We believe that the best way to honour Ashok is through advancing his goals of ending smoking and tackling the diseases it causes.
Successful defence of our key patents
In the latter half of 2023, we succeeded in our legal challenge against the Chinese Hangsen International Group Ltd for patent infringement of our process. The US District Court (Texas) decreed that Zanoprima Lifesciences Limited is “the lawful owner” of its US patent for its process, and that the patent is “valid and enforceable in all respects.” The decision confirms the uniqueness of SyNic and the strength of our patent. We have equivalent patents in over thirty-five countries across the globe.
New evidence of the environmental benefits of SyNic
We commissioned a report by an external expert consultant on the environmental benefits of SyNic compared to tobacco derived nicotine. We can share two top line outcomes now. The benefits of using SyNic over tobacco derived nicotine are shown to be substantial in terms of both carbon intensity and water savings. This compliments other benefits recently outlined in Tobacco Reporter.
https://tobaccoreporter.com/2023/08/01/the-promise-of-synthetic-nicotine/
Our view about opportunities for SyNic in 2024
We believe 2024 will be an exciting time for SyNic. Change is in the air. This is particularly true for nicotine related industries where regulators and customers are demanding much more from suppliers in terms of healthier options and sustainability. Our view is that during 2024 we will see SyNic adopted as the preferred way to deliver nicotine through a range of products: vapes, nicotine pouches, snus, shisha, heated tobacco, and the full range of NRTs. Through our products and technologies, we are proud to play a part in meeting these needs.
15th March 2022: ZANOPRIMA LIFESCIENCES FILES PATENT INFRINGEMENT ACTION AGAINST HANGSEN INTERNATIONAL TO ENFORCE ITS GROUNDBREAKING ENZYMATIC PROCESS FOR SYNTHESIZING (S)-NICOTINE
Zanoprima’s complaint against Hangsen
Waco, Texas - On March 12, 2022, Zanoprima Lifesciences Ltd. filed a Complaint for Patent Infringement against Hangsen International Group Ltd. (“Hangsen”) in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Texas, Civil Action No. 22-cv-00268 (“Complaint”). In its Complaint, Zanoprima Lifesciences alleges that Hangsen has violated its patent entitled “Process for Making (S)-Nicotine,” (U.S. Patent No. 10,913,962) (“Zanoprima’s Patent”) through Hangsen’s manufacture and importation into the U.S. market products containing synthetic nicotine that are manufactured using Zanoprima Lifescience’s patented and groundbreaking process.
Zanoprima Lifesciences (“Zanoprima”) is the first company to manufacture and make commercially available an enzymatically synthesized form of pure (S)-nicotine – SyNic™ – that is chemically identical to that derived from a tobacco plant but devoid of harmful tobacco-specific nitrosamines, carcinogens, alkaloids, and other impurities that accompany tobacco-derived nicotine. SyNic™ is the purest form of nicotine – over 99% (S)-nicotine – on the market.
Ashok Narasimhan, CEO of Zanoprima, stated, “Over many years, Zanoprima has invested substantial time, resources, intellectual capital, and scientific expertise into developing Zanoprima’s groundbreaking enzymatic patented process for synthesizing an (S)-nicotine that is devoid of tobacco-specific nitrosamines and other impurities. Zanoprima’s legal action reflects our company’s dedication to vigorously protecting our intellectual property in the U.S. and around the world.”
Zanoprima’s Patent includes as Claim 1, “A process of making (S)-nicotine comprising the steps of: (i) reducing myosmine with an enzyme with imine reductase activity to form (S)-nornicotine; and (ii) methylating the (S)-nornicotine formed from step (i) to form (S)-nicotine; wherein step (ii) is carried out by way of reductive methylations; and wherein in step (ii) the (S)-nornicotine is reductively methylated, using formaldehyde or a formaldehyde-based compound in the presence of a reductant.”
Zanoprima’s Complaint alleges that, after publication of Zanoprima’s Patent, Hangsen filed a Chinese Patent Application describing a process that copied the process invented by Zanoprima. But, as alleged in the Complaint, Hangsen’s patent application was rejected by the Chinese Patent Office in June 2021 citing Zanoprima’s patent as prior art. The Complaint also alleges Hangsen imports into the U.S. from China and sells products containing “alleged high-purity synthetic (S)-nicotine and nicotine products that are marketed and sold under various names including as MOTiVO Synthetic S-Nicotine,” and that such imported products “are manufactured by a process that practices every step of claim 1” of the Zanoprima Patent.
In addition to seeking damages for infringement, Zanoprima’s Complaint seeks preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to prevent Hangsen from continuing its infringing actions.
“Zanoprima Lifescience’s process for manufacturing SyNic™ represents a technological innovation that provides a fully traceable (S)-nicotine, with high levels of enantiomeric and chemical purity, which is commercially available at prices that rival that of tobacco-derived nicotine. Further, SyNic™ represents the greatest opportunity to facilitate the movement towards a tobacco free world, enabling all companies, including pharmaceutical companies making nicotine-replacement therapies, to meet their ESG goals through reduced dependence on tobacco-derived nicotine,” Mr. Narasimhan said.
About Zanoprima Lifesciences Ltd.: Zanoprima Lifesciences, a U.K. based company, was founded in June 2014 by Ashok Narasimhan and Nicholas Hyde with the aim of reducing tobacco-related harm by designing and developing replacement products. The vision for Zanoprima arose from concern in the pharmaceutical industry regarding the provenance and purity of tobacco-derived nicotine being used in the same products intended to reduce addiction to tobacco as well as disease and death associated with tobacco. Zanoprima’s SyNic™ is manufactured to meet or exceed U.S. Pharmacopeia standards in an FDA-approved facility that fully complies with CGMP standards. SyNic™ is available for use in a wide variety of recreational nicotine and nicotine replacement therapy products such gums, lozenges, patches, modern oral nicotine products, electronic nicotine delivery systems, and heat not burn devices.