endstream endobj 752 0 obj <>stream To bring the metal to its final form, it is heated to extremely high temperatures to remove the binders, and to mold the metal particles together, in turn, creating a very strong and durable metal compound (Siddle, How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?). Europe, Plastic News. 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. 3.7.Product Life Cycle Analysis . Each year in Italy, millions of tons of fruits and vegetables are harvested, packed and transported to national and foreign retail outlets. What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal? AZoM.com, 2 Aug. 2009, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4827. Overall, while the materials for disposable razors are few, and the products basic design makes it appear simplistic, the products lifecycle is far from simple. Polystyrene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene. Part of this responsible shipping mentality forces them to change their packaging to be able to ship more at a time. 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. This was a cradle-to-grave study that included inputs and outputs for the manufacture, transport, use, and waste phases of the LMAs. They report their waste production being at 340 tons, which represented an increase of 22% from 2015 (Bic). A comparative cradle to grave life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine and analyze the environmental impacts of using disposable acrylic speculums versus using reusable stainless-steel speculums in a women's university health clinic where around 5,000 pelvic exams are conducted on a yearly basis. %%EOF LMA Classic Product Specifications, 2011, 10. 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. Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies in the UK Ref: ISBN 1844324273, LIT 2080 PDF, 1.83 MB, 203 pages This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.. The LMAs were first rinsed in tap water, scrubbed externally with a Hibiclens sponge and internally with a small scrub brush, and rinsed again. Once Terracycle has collected the waste, it is: broken down and separated by material. LMA North America. Several clinical trials comparing function and ease of placement demonstrated no significant difference between disposable and reusable versions,25 allowing hospitals to base purchase decisions on economic considerations alone. Table 2 shows the results of alternate assumption on the overall results. Metal materials are sent for smelting and conversion to new alloys (Terracycle). "Tungsten Processing." Pollution of the oceans from plastics has become an increasingly large issue that researchers are still assessing. All that is needed is the insertion of the razor blade into the plastic body. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) Hazard Summary. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These are the reasons why I will carry out an Eco-Indicator Assessment instead of a full LCA. Safety Razor. How Products Are Made, www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. There are 3 key tasks in this step. Lippiatt BC, Boyles AS. 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. Anesth Analg 1993;77:1079, 21. Max Soft Disposable Razor For Women - 3 Pcs In A Pack. We purchase the product in a store, use the product for removing unwanted body and facial hair until it eventually dulls, and then we toss it in the bathroom trash, unaware of where it goes or where it came from. Polypropylene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene. A combination of transportation methods is used depending on where the product needs to go. The biggest impact during the cartridge-based razor life-cycle is manufacturing the cartridge as this is the part which is hardest to make. These results will then be used to inform the design process and improve the redesigned razor. f'C58NQ}i:]1 $Nh@b8H|iWILGgj{J27]Xp0N@h+ !` >q Land transport like trains and trucks use diesel as fuel and that produced 138,700 BTU (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). Reusable LMAs were collected in a dirty device bin on the anesthesia cart and then reprocessed by the anesthesia technicians. The company urges users to mail packages over 15 lbs., in order to reduce the waste of mail as well, yet is not necessary. Soulias M, Martin L, Garnier N, Juniot A, Aho L, Freysz M. Disposable vs reusable laryngeal mask airway: a cost-minimization analysis. On the other hand, extending the number of uses to 80 (doubling the lifetime) reduces GHG emissions by 9%. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a technique for assessing the potential environmental aspects and potential aspects associated with a product (or service), by: compiling an inventory of relevant inputs and outputs, evaluating the potential environmental impacts associated with those inputs and outputs, The authors declare no conflict of interest. Each time the steam autoclave machine conducts a sterilizing cycle, a large amount of energy is used to heat the steam. The final product is then gathered and prepared to go through the final step which is the packaging of razors. After the plastic body is manufactured it goes through inspections similar to ones the blades go through. The LMA, within the heat seal pouch, was then placed in the steam autoclave sterilizing machine (Castle/Getinge MC 3522). Disposable BIC razors are hollow and made using injection molding, but making the razors hollow is only possible because of the fluid nature of polystyrene (The Bic Razor, Still the Sharpest of the Bunch.). Alternate assumptions were used to test model sensitivity and to create bounds to aid interpretation of the results (Table 2). Manufacturing Processes (RAZOR): KAI FACTORY: KAI Group.KAI FACTORY | KAI Group, www.kai-group.com/global/en/kai-factory/process/razor/. The use of LCA to introduce life-cycle thinking into decision-making for the purchase of medical devices in the NHS. 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. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Amersfoort, The Netherlands: Product Ecology (PR) Consultants, 2011, 11. Staff, Creative Mechanisms. Manufacturing Processes (RAZOR): KAI FACTORY: KAI Group. KAI FACTORY | KAI Group, www.kai-group.com/global/en/kai-factory/process/razor/. In this life cycle breakdown, I will be discussing what materials go into the making of disposable razors and what processes the materials go through in the operation of making a disposable razor. The Eco-Indicator for EPDM rubber includes the manufacturing of the rubber as well as the molding process. Sustainable Development Report. The data collected through LCA helps organizations make conscious decisions that affect the environment. In this post I havent shown the whole process, but there are downloadable links to my full Eco-Indicator results, and to the template form if youd like to carry out an assessment yourself. Goal, scope and background The industrial packages sector has great importance for the transport sector in Europe. Each razor can last up to 12 gentle shaves. LCA is a technique to assess the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, process, or service. To begin the process of creating the razor blades, tungsten carbide, which is the metal that the blades and other optional components are made of, must first be manufactured. The Nation's Freight: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The total amount of direct GHG emissions in 2016 was estimated at 8,689 teqCO2, i.e. The Bic corporation considers their environmental impact and takes steps to reduce as much waste as possible. Rogers, Tony. The Bic Razor, Still the Sharpest of the Bunch. Plastics Le Mag, 31 Jan. 2017, plastics-themag.com/The-Bic-razor-still-the-sharpest-of-the-bunch. Cad M, Webb T, Bjorksten A. This liquid material is then injected into moulds, or extruded through moulds, where it will cool and take the form of the desired cartridge and handle shape. Swiss Center for Life Cycle Inventories. The Potential of Polypropylene.Recycling Today, Recycling Today, 17 July 2019, www.recyclingtoday.com/article/the-recycling-potential-of-polypropylene/. Gathering all the data for the LCA is the most difficult part of the task, and normally assumptions have to be made where its impossible to gather all the knowledge required, thus not all the relevant impacts are considered. Bics direct emissions were from: a combustion of fossil fuels, primarily natural gas and fuel oil, mainly used to heat buildings. The designed short user-time of disposable razors, causes their life cycle to be spent mostly in the landfill where they will remain for hundreds of years due to non-biodegradable plastic, however, recycling the plastic and steel is possible if sent to specific recycling facilities, which could reduce the life cycle and negative impact on the environment. A Life Cycle Assessment is the systematic analysis of the environmental impact of products during their entire life cycle. Bic has attempted to lower their direct emissions by having factories world-wide and creating: a Transport Community which connects shipping managers on each continent to raise control for greenhouse gas emissions, optimize shipments and routes, and use only responsible carriers (Bic). Redesigning the Razor Life Cycle Assessment.The Great Recovery, www.greatrecovery.org.uk/resources/3682/. 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. Approximately 24 L/min of water are used by the autoclave for cooling, for a total of 960 L of water needed to sterilize an LMA 40 times. 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. The Bic USAs company website provides information about the making of the razors in the factories, regarding their inspection and factory standards, yet there is no mention for the environmental impact of the disposal. Julabo Gmbh, et al. Finally, the assessment will be carried out on the new design to assess if it has a lower impact than the other options analysed. Holes are then punched into the metal and the tapelike sheets of razors are then put in a roll (Manufacturing Processes). The metal and plastic components of the cartridges will be assembled, where they will then go to the next station where the blades will be inserted. Several waste management scenarios were also considered, including 100% landfilling and 100% incineration, because practices are highly location dependent. Most tungsten, about 85%, is extracted from various ores in China (Siddle, How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?). A 2005 analysis published by U.K. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of Transportation, 2002, 14. Life Cycle Impact Assessment is the estimation of indicators of the environmental pressures in terms of e.g. Weissman, Alexander, et al. Lv, Andrea Lind, and Tigist Fetene. Phase 3: Life Cycle Impact Assessment. Marine cargo ships use a fuel called heavy fuel oil which produces around 145,000 BTU per gallon (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). BIC Comfort 3 Refillable Three-Blade Disposable Razors for Men, Sensitive Skin Razor for a Comfortable Shave, 1 Handle and 12 Cartridges With 3 Blades, 13 Piece Razor Kit. Goodman EJ, Haas AJ. The plastic handle and head of the disposable razor consists of a hybrid of polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide, also known as PPO. When you take your blades in to the scrap metal center, choose the steel recycling bin. The razors are mainly made of plastic, so they will be decomposing at a very slow rate in the landfill. Contribution: This author helped design the study, analyze the data, and prepare the manuscript. If the reusable LMA is discarded prematurely, e.g., after 20 uses,16 the unit cost increases to $13 per unit, but decreases to $5.50 if the lifetime can be extended to 80 uses. The processes that contribute to these emissions differ markedly between the 2 LMA devices. Highlights BIC has reported their total energy usage and carbon footprint in their factories around the world, this was all however for the year 2016. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. 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. When designing a product for circularity it is often difficult to know where to begin. The carbon footprint reported was separated into two sections which are direct and indirect emissions. In landfilling or incinerating this part, the large amount of energy and material value used in creating it is lost. An exact number for the energy use for BIC was not obtained. The cheap price of the razor does not reflect the high cost of its waste and impact on the environment. In their study of Life cycle assessment of wastewater treatment technologies treating petroleum process waters, Vlaopolous et al. J Clin Anesth 1997;9:432, 20. The purpose of this assessment is to compare two different types of razors: cartridge based vs. double edge safety razor. The majority of eutrophication impacts from disposable LMAs are from deposition of nitrogen oxide particulates from electricity generation and waste incineration, and impacts for the reusable LMA are nearly all from wastewater used in the cleaning process. The metal must be mined and extracted from the mountain causing an emission of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases (Wang). Production of razor blades across the industry is fairly standard. Life cycle assessment is a "cradle-to-grave" approach for determining the financial and environmental costs of a product over its entire life. The stability of the plastic components, while necessary for shelf stability and use, takes longer than one persons life-span to decompose. Our LCA team retains its reputation as the most experienced life cycle staff in North America. This means that it takes around 1 BTU to heat a 0.035-ounce razor blade to the desired temperature (Julabo et.al). hb```X ea i:=3*?a_.k7#uq-u[JRP erle@@)`EkP;~ cdC58xiv06@Jup E The life cycle assessment software package SimaPro 7.3.2 was used to conduct our analysis.10 The majority of inventory data were drawn from the ecoinvent v2.2 life cycle inventory database.11 Impacts were assessed using the Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability v4.02 impact assessment method,12 which encompasses both environmental concerns (such as climate change, acid rain and smog formation, water use, and ozone depletion) and human-health-related impacts (such as cancer and noncancer ailments and emission of criteria air pollutants). There are three main materials used in the plastic handle and the cartridge of the disposable razor. Chicago: American Medical Association, 2006, 27. Highly effective in driving partnerships, public policies and projects that accelerate the shift towards a sustainable built environment. There is uncertainty in several model assumptions. Contribution: This author helped design the study and prepare the manuscript. 2 offers from $9.92. What Is Polystyrene? Anyone can send in razors of any kind, and the plastic and cardboard packaging as well. BIC says its product beats out other models by 59 percent. However, it is fairly easy to find what the disposable razors components are made of, due to its simplicity. The environmental impacts of the 2 LMAs were estimated using SimaPro life cycle assessment software and the Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability impact assessment method. Life-cycle assessment stages The number of BIC razors that are used by consumers is astounding. LCAs can be used comparatively to assess different product or service design options or to identify environmental . This means, of the 2 billion razors disposed of annually within the United States, each razor will be on the planet longer than the people who used them. The metal used for the razor blades is called Tungsten Carbide which is used in wear applications, such as shaving (Safety Razor). Contrary to common expectation, hair is actually pretty hard. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a framework for assessing the environmental impacts of product systems and decisions. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. Anesth Analg 1998;87:921, 3. 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. It can also help them to compare the newly redesigned product to the original, acting as a benchmark to ensure the design changes are actually positive for the environment. However, by looking at just this one company, there is a sense of the massive amount of direct and indirect emissions from just the making of razors that are thrown away so quickly after use, with an increase annually of users. 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). Biro P. Damage to laryngeal masks during sterilization. This reflects the equivalence between 40 disposable LMAs and their associated materials, waste, and 40 uses of 1 reusable LMA. For waste management, switching from 100% incineration to 100% landfilling typically reduced impacts across all categories by 5%10%, with the national average scenario results decreasing in between. 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. Please enable scripts and reload this page. In 2016, Bic reduced packaging for their Soleil Razor by 40%. 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. Gillette Mach3 Disposable Razors for Men, 6 Count, Designed for Sensitive Skin. Anaesth Intensive Care 2010;38:538, 9. At an average of 10 reuse cycles, GHG impacts increase by >50%, and this is the break-even point at which the GHG emissions from reusable and disposable LMAs are essentially equal. Overall, reusable LMAs were found to have fewer negative environmental effects in nearly all categories, typically contributing <50% of the impacts of disposable LMAs. BIC reported that every year around 2.6 billion of their razors are chosen by consumers every year (Shaver's). The life cycle impacts of the disposable and reusable LMA options are shown in Figure 2 for all impact categories, on the basis of data from Yale New Haven Hospital. 2. From mining and extracting the natural tungsten metal, to making the metal alloy and manufacturing just the blade, waste is released. During a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), environmental impacts are evaluated throughout the entire life cycle of a product (production, use and disposal or recovery).This also includes the upstream and downstream processes associated with production (e.g., the production of . 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). Of course the 2.6 billion razors were not, all the same, however, we can still give a ballpark estimate of how many tonnes of plastic/metal waste is being produced every year. Define the Life-cycle This is an example of a simple product life-cycle diagram. There are three main components in a disposable razor. There is no public data entailing the details of this plastics recyclability. Innovative and strategic advisor to leading philanthropies, corporates, governments, international institutions and NGOs. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) is where the impacts on the environment are calculated. Additionally, the PVC-dominated material composition of the disposable LMA and associated packaging added significantly to its impacts. The tables didnt contain values for welding steel, so it has been assumed that the value is close to welding aluminium which is in the table. 0 8tZ Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide). Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(p-phenylene_oxide). Their disposable nature causes them to be put into landfills faster than it takes them to be made, packaged, and shipped. WC2N 6EZ, Redesigning the razor Life Cycle Assessment. Anaesth Intensive Care 2004;32:5304, 4. Until now, we defined what we want to measure and collect in phase 1. The disposable LMA consisted largely of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and the reusable LMA consisted primarily of silicone. Sinha R, Sunder R. Retiring reusable laryngeal mask airways after 40: an anaesthetist's dilemma. However, given the environmental toll to such a fast accumulating, and non-biodegradable product, waste management must be more considered by both the manufacturers and the buyers. With the results we supply the basis for strategic decisions for sustainable action. Composition Assumptions for Disposable and Reusable Largyngeal Mask Airways (LMAs). LCA is the most common tool for quantifying the environmental effects associated with a product, process, or service's entire life (Baumann and Tillman 2004).LCA was performed in accordance with the international standards of the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 . Plastics are cleaned and pelletized to be recycled into new products, such as picnic tables and park benches. Disposable razors are designed for consumers that prefer minimum spending . Yet, tungsten has been found to deposit particles into the soil that causes some contamination, making it a recent concern to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Everything You Need To Know About Polypropylene (PP) Plastic. Everything You Need To Know About Polypropylene (PP) Plastic, https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/all-about-polypropylene-pp-plastic. Scope of the life cycle assessment for disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways (LMAs). Thomas, G.P. 21 offers from $5.20. Disposable razors are made up of three components: a hollowed plastic handle, the razor blade, and the plastic head of the razor that holds the blade (Safety Razor). Differences in environmental impacts between devices may present a compelling consideration in their selection. In the case of the disposable razor however, it is fairly simple due to its nature. Disposable razors are a commonly used item for most Americans, and over two billion razors are thrown away every year in the United States (Shabecoff). This is known as a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) This can be extremely complex because it can involve dozens of separate processes, as well as hundreds of tracked substances. The human-health-related impact categories are pertinent to those developing standards for the delivery of health care. Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2002, 26. Once the plastic has cooled, the pieces are released from the moulds. 2019, science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/polystyrene-recycling.htm. Reusable LMAs in general appear to be made largely of silicone, lacking these same concerns for PVC/DEHP. However, of the 2 billion razors disposed of annually, about 32% end up in the ocean (Kaplan). Cargo planes and other transport aircraft use jet fuel which produces 135,000 BTU per gallon (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). Phoenix: IEEE, 2008, 23. Polypropylene is recyclable with the resin code of 5, which is its numbered identification code that is used to identify what resins plastic products are made of, and indicate how they are recycled. 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). These containers, mainly wooden pallets and spools, are subject to European legislat Life Cycle Approach to Plastic Pollution - Life Cycle Initiative Our news to your inbox Click to subscribe to LC Net info@lifecycleinitiative.org About Us Our Activities & Tools Reports & Training News & Events Get Involved Life Cycle Approach to Plastic Pollution Activities Life Cycle Assessment in High-Impact sectors GaBi is a LCA software that allows its users to connect environmental impacts to a product across its lifespan. A SYSTEMATIC METHODOLOGY FOR ACCURATE DESIGN-STAGE ESTIMATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR INJECTION MOLDED PARTS. These steps are not necessarily conducted in succession, but iteratively. 4. 4.Complete the form 748 0 obj <> endobj Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 rev, 25. The sheets are then cut out using a process called die stamping, using a tool called a die stamp which is a special, one-of-a-kind precision tool that cuts and forms sheet metal into a desired shape or profile, where the blades are die stamped at a rate of 800-1,200 strokes a minute into the desired shape and size (Hedrick, Die Basics 101: Intro to Stamping.). The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was introduced into clinical use in the late 1980s and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the US in 1991. 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. The backbone of LCA is the life cycle inventory (LCI), an analysis of material and energy ows resulting from all phases of the product life cycle. BIC has repeatedly come under fire because of the environmental impact their disposable razors have, due to the sheer amount of their disposable products are used every year. DEHP leaches out upon exposure to heat and lipids, as would be the case in contact with mucous membranes. Quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Labor. At every point during planning, production, and even marketing, the quantity of consumption should be analyzed to adjust business models accordingly. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. Hedrick, Art. Facilities that select reusable devices should implement inventory and operating procedures that ensure that devices are reused to the greatest possible extent. Once extracted, the tungsten is then shipped to a desired location for it to be manufactured into the metal compound. What Is Polystyrene? At 20 reuse cycles,16 the results indicate an increase in emissions of nearly 20%. If all 2.6 billion of those razors each weight 8.8 grams, then the total amount of waste produced would be around 25,220 tonnes.

What Is The Hardest Hike In The Northeast?, Articles L