life cycle assessment of disposable razors

Criteria for the selection and purchase of medical devices typically include safety for patients and staff, efficacy and ease of use, and purchase and handling prices. There is uncertainty in several model assumptions. Figure: Life Cycle Assessment steps: goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory, life cycle impact assessment and interpretation (Sala et al., 2016) In the goal and scope phase, the aims of the study are defined, namely the intended application, the reasons for carrying out the study and the intended audience. The LMAs were first rinsed in tap water, scrubbed externally with a Hibiclens sponge and internally with a small scrub brush, and rinsed again. BIC has reported their total energy usage and carbon footprint in their factories around the world, this was all however for the year 2016. The blades do eventually dissipate within the landfill, yet, it is not cost-free, as the tungsten waste can be ultimately harmful to the environment. We are proud that it is among the leading professional LCA software . Comparison of the single use and reusable intubating laryngeal mask airway. The final value for the cartridge-based razor was 115.06 mPt, and the value for the double edge safety razor was 15.70 mPt. This is shown through their commitment to their eco-design process and new recycling programs that are undergoing testing. LCA for product sustainability. Life cycle assessment - Universitetet i Agder Disposable razors are designed for consumers that prefer minimum spending . After getting the sharpened blade they are coated with a thin film to allows them to not lose sharpness after only a few shaves (Manufacturing Processes). 11 / Piece. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. The study found that: The disposable LMA consisted largely of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and the reusable LMA consisted primarily of silicone. 2. To compile a detailed life cycle inventory of the environmental burdens They report their waste production being at 340 tons, which represented an increase of 22% from 2015 (Bic). 85 percent of the energy came from electricity, 14 percent came from gas, and the rest came from fuel oil (For You For Everyone Registration Document). Amersfoort, The Netherlands: Product Ecology (PR) Consultants, 2011, 11. Additionally, the PVC-dominated material composition of the disposable LMA and associated packaging added significantly to its impacts. Research about tungsten is ongoing and includes health effects and risks, degradation processes and an inventory of its use in the defense industry as a substitute for lead-based munitions (EPA). In my research, I was not able to find specifics about where BIC sources their materials, I believe that this is due to them being a global company. Online Course Life Cycle Assessment | MIT Professional Education Click the image for pricing & more info. Criteria air pollutants arise for the disposable LMA primarily from the production of ethylene (a polymer precursor) and the combustion of natural gas throughout the system, and for the reusable LMA from the combustion of fossil fuels to produce steam and electricity. The majority (77%) of life cycle CO2e emissions for the reusable LMA is from natural gas production and combustion to produce steam for the autoclave machine. Address correspondence to Jodi Sherman, MD, Yale University, School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, 333 Cedar Street, TMP3, New Haven, CT 06520. Safety Assessment of Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) Released from PVC Medical Devices. This reflects the equivalence between 40 disposable LMAs and their associated materials, waste, and 40 uses of 1 reusable LMA. Williams S, Henderson K. A survey into the number of times laryngeal masks are used. SimaPro is our flagship product: life cycle assessment software that gives sustainability experts, product designers and decision-makers the power to gain insight into the environmental performance of products and services, to define hotspots and to drive positive change. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. BIC is voicing their concern about the environmental impact that their large production goals can have. American Medical Association (AMA). A SYSTEMATIC METHODOLOGY FOR ACCURATE DESIGN-STAGE ESTIMATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR INJECTION MOLDED PARTS. Tungsten is a natural metal deposit that is found in metamorphic, and granitic igneous rocks, primarily in China, Russia, South Korea, South America, and the Rocky Mountains in the United States. : Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts. ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 17 June 2019, www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/. Erosion time for the blades was difficult to find, yet tungsten steel does erode faster than the plastic elements to the disposable razor due to the carbon alloys brittle makeup. 8 John Adam Street Where material types were unknown, proxies were assumed from relevant literature,2 although more detailed material information from suppliers would permit a more robust analysis. What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal? AZoM.com, 2 Aug. 2009, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4827. The blades are then carefully sharpened to create the razor blades. Amazon Best Sellers: Best Men's Disposable Shaving Razors The differences in environmental impacts between these devices may present a compelling consideration in device selection when concern for infection transmission is not a factor. All of these equipment-related cases occurred before the routine implementation of sterilization procedures currently used in health care facilities. BIC states that it prides itself on producing affordable, safe, and quality razors for its customers worldwide. Ecoinvent 2.2. Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS). Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS), 5 Nov. 2015, https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/polystyrene-ps-plastic. There are various ways that the product can get there. Polystyrene is not biodegradable and takes hundreds of years to break down. BIC has noted however that they strive to be as efficient with materials used when it comes to their packaging. Two Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) methodologies were employed using SimaPro software 51,52 to calculate the environmental impacts of manufacturing both the plastic and compostable coffee . The number of times an LMA is reused is a particularly uncertain assumption, because there have been reports of premature disposal.16 Use in excess of the manufacturer recommended 40 times has also been reported,17 and 100 to 200 uses appears to be possible with proper handling and preuse checks.1821 Here, 10, 20, 30, 60, 80, and 100 cycles are considered as alternative assumptions. Small components such as inks and labels on the packaging and on the sterilization indicator strips are expected to have negligible impacts and were excluded from the analysis. Phase 3: Life Cycle Impact Assessment. There could be hundreds of different sources for their materials. Questions and Answers: CreutzfeldtJakob Disease Infection-Control Practices. The most important sources of impacts for the disposable LMA were the production of polymers, packaging, and waste management, whereas for the reusable LMA, washing and sterilization dominated for most impact categories. Disposable razors are a product that can be found in almost any average bathroom. The cartridge-based razor had a slightly higher impact due to the rubber parts which cant be separated from the plastic body. LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE | Science Inventory - US EPA The indirect emissions were mostly from the electricity use in the factories. Life cycle assessment of a disposable and a reusable surgery instrument set for spinal fusion surgeries Leiden A, Cerdas F, Noriega D, Beyerlein J, Herrmann C. Life cycle assessment of a disposable and reusable surgery instrument set for spinal fusion surgeries. In BIC factories they pride themselves in producing a quality product, so the blades go through a series of highly precise visual inspections with cameras which help with rejecting blades that do not meet BIC standards (Case Studies) After that they go through visual inspection is done be BIC employees to reject any blades that the cameras were not rejected by the inspection camera system, the blades are then send off to be coated and burned. [PDF] Life Cycle Assessment: Reusable and disposable nappies in There are so many variables that you have to take into account when calculating how much of an impact a product is having on the environment and our resources. The full life cycle environmental impacts can be challenging to model, because modern production "pathways" can involve numerous interacting technologies, each of which can consume materials and energy that are themselves products of complex production processes. For both environmental and cost considerations, management and operating procedures should be put in place to ensure that reusable LMAs are not discarded prematurely. Choosing models that use alternate materials is recommended, particularly because the American Medical Association is urging hospitals and health systems to reduce their use of PVC products, especially those containing DEHP.26 The shipment of LMAs by air also greatly increased overall impacts, pointing to a strategy of bulk ordering from local distributors well in advance of use, and avoiding overnight shipment whenever possible. #4. This is only the operational energy consumption, but you still have to take into account all the energy used in the design and installation of the machinery. Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS).Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS), www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/polystyrene-ps-plastic. The hardest part of this whole process is the data gathering. Once the plastic has cooled, the pieces are released from the moulds. Here's How to Keep Your Razors from Contributing to Landfill Waste. USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 7 Aug. 2019, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/07/landfill-waste-how-prevent-disposable-razor-plastic-pollution/1943345001/. A new incentive must come for companies to be more sustainable with resources and create products that can still be cheap for the buyer, while also not taking a high cost on the environment. Life Cycle Assessment - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology to assess the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its life - from raw material extraction, manufacture and use, to end-of-life disposal, recycling or reuse. Clean Edge, Non Disposable razor case study analysis - SlideShare Swiss Center for Life Cycle Inventories. Life Cycle Assessment and Costing Methods for Device - PubMed Comparative environmental and human health (HH) impacts for disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways (LMA), Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) impact assessment method. The blades, which are made from a carbide steel made using tungsten carbide, the handle, which is made from a combination of plastics such as polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide (PPO), and the cartridge, which is made up of these plastics and sometimes the carbide steel as well (Safety Razor, madehow.com). The Potential of Polypropylene.Recycling Today, Recycling Today, 17 July 2019, www.recyclingtoday.com/article/the-recycling-potential-of-polypropylene/. The total amount of indirect emissions was 89,762 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). The EPA has said in their 2014 report: Currently, little information is available about the fate and transport of tungsten in the environment and its effects on human health. Overview. Life-cycle assessment stages This means that it takes around 1 BTU to heat a 0.035-ounce razor blade to the desired temperature (Julabo et.al). BIC Group, 2016, For You For Everyone Registration Document. There are some solutions and new recycling ideas, yet, the reduction of waste for disposable razors is still far off. I found information about the whole blade manufacturing process, but could not find details about energy consumption in every step of the process. It is a thermoplastic that exhibits high heat resistance, dimensional stability, and accuracy and is often combined with other plastics, such as polystyrene, due to various problems in its processing (Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide, Wikipedia.org). The authors declare no conflict of interest. Define the Life-cycle This is an example of a simple product life-cycle diagram. Because the human health impacts of the disposable LMAs are dominated by plastics, increasing the amount of PVC by 10% leads to a significant (>5%) increase in cancer and noncancer effects. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. What Is Tungsten Carbide?" Life of a Razor Blade - GreatRazors.com 2.Define the life-cycle Properties: Tungsten Carbide-An Overview. AZoM.com, 25 Nov. 2019, www.azom.com/properties.aspx?ArticleID=1203. Gillette Sensor3 Sensitive Men's Disposable Razors : Target Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) - A Complete Guide to LCAs Features Downloads. The autoclave was typically run with 5 LMAs, although loading varied significantly. Another material used is polystyrene. A life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to identify the environmental risks of existing and planned products, services and manufacturing processes as well as identify strategic improvement opportunities. Life cycle assessment Plastics Europe The effect of alternate transport modes was quite small for the reusable LMA but quite significant for the disposable LMAs, leading to a large increase in GHG emissions in particular from air freight. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Complete Beginner's Guide - Ecochain Please try after some time. Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide). Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(p-phenylene_oxide). BIC reported that the weight of one of their most popular disposable razors is 8.8 grams (Shavers). The main causes of the reusable LMA's environmental impacts are the steam used in the autoclave sterilizing machine and, to a lesser extent, the wastewater generated from washing the LMAs. The metal is then quenched in water to bring it to -76 to -112 degrees Fahrenheit to harden the material (Safety Razor). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a modeling tool for quantifying the environmental impacts of products and processes. Land transport like trains and trucks use diesel as fuel and that produced 138,700 BTU (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). HUO0NpnaJd@"&u[kj-+8=WU\*w)OMYb_ry> 1F3 nyNnb 0 All of which provides an easy user experience, but, takes a toll on the planet. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Sustainability Assessment - Fraunhofer Shabecoff, Philip. Applying this method of assessment is complex and difficult and translating the theory into a . The newest effort to recycle disposable razors is being done in France by BIC, but the company has said that they do not plan on unveiling a recycling program anywhere else yet (Powers). Due to the nature of the disposable razor, they are usually just thrown in the trash and sent off to a landfill. In this case its the life-cycle of the cartridge-based razor. a 4.1% (Bic). DEHP is a plasticizer routinely added to impart flexibility to PVC-based products, such as IV bags, tubing, and endotracheal tubes. In landfilling or incinerating this part, the large amount of energy and material value used in creating it is lost. Tungsten Carbide. Encyclopdia Britannica, Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc., 17 Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/tungsten-carbide. Life Cycle Assessments - Diaper Answers In order to carry out the Eco-Indicator analysis method, the methodology described below has to be followed: 1.Establish the purpose of the Eco-Indicator calculations 2.Define the life-cycle 3.Quantify the materials and processes 4.Complete the form 5.Interpret and analyse the results What Is Polystyrene? Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. The use of disposable razors is unsustainable with our growing population and increased demand. Environment Agency (Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies in the U.K.) investigated the impact of three diapering systems: cloth diapers with home wash, cloth diapers with commercial laundry, and disposable diapers. The number of BIC razors that are used by consumers is astounding. On the other hand, extending the number of uses to 80 (doubling the lifetime) reduces GHG emissions by 9%. Wat LI, Brimacombe JR, Gee S. Laryngeal mask airway longevity and pilot-balloon failure. The reusable LMA was found to have a more favorable environmental profile than the disposable LMA as used at Yale New Haven Hospital. The processes that contribute to these emissions differ markedly between the 2 LMA devices. Life Cycle Assessment | EcoAct It has been assumed that the packaging contains cardboard, even though it has been made from other natural fibres like bamboo, as there is no info on those materials in the Eco-Indicator tables. Such an analysis is commonly performed using life cycle assessment. (PDF) Comparative life cycle analysis of disposable and reusable Data Uncertainty. Bic did have an increase in non-hazardous waste due to: expansion work or renovation of buildings or development of new products and manufacturing equipment (For You For Everyone: Registration Document, Bic) For carbon footprint assessments for large companies, they are assessed on direct (scope 1) emissions and indirect (scope 2) emissions of greenhouse gases. A 20-mL disposable syringe was used during device placement to inflate the cuffs of both types of LMAs to ensure proper fit, and a procedure was then performed. Impact Assessment. Can J Anaesth 2001;48:40912, 22. The product fails to include proper instructions for its waste management, causing it to be disposed of, as the name suggests. So, while this solution is not an easy fix, as it would require buyers to save their own waste, it does provide an alternative to the disposable razor waste crisis. Growing awareness of the negative impacts from the practice of health care on the environment and public health calls for the routine inclusion of life cycle criteria into the decision-making process of device selection. This makes it an easy and quick method to start the analysis of a product and aid the designer when creating alternative concepts which are more environmentally friendly, because they can clearly identify what areas need improvement and which ones work well already. 3. The high waste from manufacturing and shipping such a small, and cheap product is one that is negatively impacting the planet. On the basis of manufacturer information and density testing, the materials used in the 2 LMAs were identified and their compositions measured using a microgram scale (Table 1). (PDF) Sources, Fate and Effects of Microplastics in the Marine From San Diego, both LMAs were assumed to be transported 4700 km by truck to New Haven, CT (70% of shipments in the US are made by truck).13. Anaesth Intensive Care 2004;32:5304, 4. Plastics are cleaned and pelletized to be recycled into new products, such as picnic tables and park benches. your express consent. It is cheap and highly versatile, and can either be hard plastic material, or a soft foam material, making it one of the most common plastic materials manufactured and used (What Is Polystyrene? to maintaining your privacy and will not share your personal information without BIC has done their best to deal with waste in an environmentally conscious manner. After the products are packaged, there has to be a way for them to get to the end consumer. Not all form of impacts are valued the same, so the ones with the largest impact should be tackled first in order to produce the maximum overall improvement. Their disposable nature causes them to be put into landfills faster than it takes them to be made, packaged, and shipped. Certain practices would further reduce the environmental impacts of reusable LMAs, such as increasing the number of devices autoclaved in a single cycle to 10 (25% GHG emissions) and improving the energy efficiency of the autoclaving machines by 10% (8% GHG emissions). For You For Everyone: Registration Document.Bic World, Bic, 2016, www.bicworld.com/sites/default/files/2017-03/BIC_DRF2016_EN.pdf. Each manufacturing plant or node in the supply chain is referred to as agate-to-gate (GTG) life cycle inventory. Once all the components of the razor have been made, the components go to various stations where different tasks will be performed. After the products make their way to consumers and serve their purpose, the waste must be dealt with. Kelly, John. Complete with an ergonomic shaped non-slip rubber handle for great control and maneuverability and easy rinse blades for 100% better rinsing (vs . One of their most popular products is the disposable razor, which they started to manufacture in 1975. It has a low density and is quite flexible and heat resistant, therefore making it an easily moulded and extruded material. hb```X ea i:=3*?a_.k7#uq-u[JRP erle@@)`EkP;~ cdC58xiv06@Jup E Anesth Analg 2004;99:6267, 17. Dbendorf, Switzerland, 2011, 12. Sherman JD, Ryan S. Ecological responsibility in anesthesia practice. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Europa

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