a 4.1% (Bic). A SYSTEMATIC METHODOLOGY FOR ACCURATE DESIGN-STAGE ESTIMATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR INJECTION MOLDED PARTS. 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. Complete with an ergonomic shaped non-slip rubber handle for great control and maneuverability and easy rinse blades for 100% better rinsing (vs . h[K#1}\$u@ LMAs may be composed of 40% DEHP by weight. The major problem with recycling this plastic however, is that during the heating process, the plastic degrades in quality making it less valuable (What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal?, AZoM.com). It is resistant to fats and almost all organic solvents which helps it hold up in the damp and warm conditions of a bathroom and shower (Polypropylene. Wikipedia.org). Disposable and reusable nappies in the UK: life cycle assessment Here we present a life cycle assessment of 2 laryngeal mask airways (LMAs), a one-time-use disposable Unique LMA and a 40-time-use reusable Classic LMA. Health care facilities can decrease their environmental impacts by using reusable LMAs, by selecting disposable LMA models that are not made of certain plastics, and by ordering in bulk from local distributors. Park Ridge, IL: American Society of Anesthesiologists, 1999, 15. Brimacombe J, Keller C, Morris R, Mecklem D. A comparison of the disposable versus the reusable laryngeal mask airway in paralyzed adult patients. Define the Life-cycle This is an example of a simple product life-cycle diagram. Holes are then punched into the metal and the tapelike sheets of razors are then put in a roll (Manufacturing Processes). Sets Strategy to End 'Staggering' Garbage Crisis.The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Sept. 1988, www.nytimes.com/1988/09/23/us/epa-sets-strategy-to-end-staggering-garbage-crisis.html. Williams S, Henderson K. A survey into the number of times laryngeal masks are used. Life cycle analysis takes into account the following categories: Energy consumption Water consumption Air emissions (including carbon dioxide and other global warming gases) Water emissions Generation of solid waste You Asked, We Answered. Chronicle, 12 June 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/what-is-tungsten-carbide-you-asked-we-answered/. Kaplan, Desire. My next blog post will show some design recommendations using sketches and 3D-printed prototypes. There are three main materials used in the plastic handle and the cartridge of the disposable razor. 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). 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 We can see how the double edge safety razor has a much lower impact due to the low amount of parts and materials used and the fact that the blade can be separated from the rest of the body and recycled (reducing the overall impact of the product). 2019, science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/polystyrene-recycling.htm. Dbendorf, Switzerland, 2011, 12. PDF Life Cycle Assessments of Single- Versus Multiple-use Surgical Gowns Aj In life cycle assessment, the basis of comparison is called the functional unit. For this report, the functional unit of the disposable and reusable LMAs was taken to be maintenance of airway patency by 40 disposable LMAs or 40 uses of 1 reusable LMA. They have also reduced shipping time, by only sending the blades from Greece to Mexico to optimize the tools and products available in each location, instead of having all the materials shipped to each factory. It is at this stage that very small amounts of other metals such as iron, silicon, and chromium may be added to the carbide to increase its strength and durability. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. The plastic handle and head of the disposable razor consists of a hybrid of polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide, also known as PPO. These are the reasons why I will carry out an Eco-Indicator Assessment instead of a full LCA. What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal? AZoM.com, 2 Aug. 2009, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4827. @article{Cordella2015EvolutionOD, title={Evolution of disposable baby diapers in Europe: life cycle assessment of environmental impacts and identification of key areas of improvement}, author={Mauro Cordella and Iris Bauer and Anja Lehmann and Matthias Schulz and Oliver Wolf}, journal={Journal of Cleaner Production}, year={2015}, volume={95 . Life cycle environmental impacts of disposable medical masks Atlanta, 2012. Such an analysis is commonly performed using life cycle assessment. Data Uncertainty. These few simple materials go through processes of heating, cooling, moulding, cutting, and sharpening throughout their manufacturing process to eventually become the handle, razor blades, and blade cartridge, that will then be assembled to become a disposable razor. When you take your blades in to the scrap metal center, choose the steel recycling bin. This was a cradle-to-grave study that included inputs and outputs for the manufacture, transport, use, and waste phases of the LMAs. The GTG LCIs are added together to give a cradle-to-gate (CTG) life cycle inventory . 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. 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. The reusable LMA was found to have a more favorable environmental profile than the disposable LMA as used at Yale New Haven Hospital. We perform Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and Critical Reviews in accordance with ISO 14040/44 for products and services. All of these software packages and models are in widespread use by life cycle assessment practitioners in the US and internationally. It takes a lifetime perspective LCA takes into consideration all the steps that lead from raw material through manufacture, distribution and usage to final disposal. Reducing Trichloroethylene (TCE) Waste in the Fabricated Metals Sector.EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 9 Aug. 2016, www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/reducing-trichloroethylene-tce-waste-fabricated-metals-sector. 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. 2. How Does Polystyrene Recycling Work?HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 4 Apr. However, BIC did report some of its transportation statistics. Reusable LMAs in general appear to be made largely of silicone, lacking these same concerns for PVC/DEHP. I found information about the whole blade manufacturing process, but could not find details about energy consumption in every step of the process. The advantage of using this method compared to a more comprehensive LCA method is that its much simpler to carry out and to gather the required information because the data regarding the most common materials and processes has been collected in advance. Shabecoff, Philip. Amazon.com: Bulk Disposable Razors Overview. Biro P. Damage to laryngeal masks during sterilization. E-LCA is a time tested assessment technique that evaluates environmental performance throughout the life cycle of a product or from performing a service. To make the handle and cartridges, these various plastics are heated together and melted together along with optional colorants and various filler materials. Anaesth Intensive Care 2010;38:538, 9. Powers, Matt, and Amanda M. Can You Recycle Disposable Razors? Earth911.Com, 30 July 2019, earth911.com/living-well-being/health/can-you-recycle-disposable-razors/. How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed? Chronicle, 20 Aug. 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/how-is-tungsten-carbide-formed/. Their carbon footprint was reported with the highest offender being air travel for the product, and staff transportation coming from France: accounting for 73% of the companys annual greenhouse gas emissions (Bic). (PDF) Comparative life cycle analysis of disposable and reusable Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Europa An exact number for the energy use for BIC was not obtained. Life cycle assessment - Environmental Assessment and Optimization Group To create the metal compound, carbon is added to the purified tungsten in a complex chemical process where the materials are heated to over 2,200 degrees celsius. The total amount of direct GHG emissions in 2016 was estimated at 8,689 teqCO2, i.e. Select patients who are highly infective warrant the choice of disposable devices; however, data do not support selecting disposables for all patients to avoid any possible risk of infection. This break-even point will change depending on the category of environmental impact being considered. Gillette Sensor3 Sensitive Men's Disposable Razors : Target Another material used is polystyrene. Contribution: This author helped conduct the study and analyze the data. The Potential of Polypropylene.Recycling Today, Recycling Today, 17 July 2019, www.recyclingtoday.com/article/the-recycling-potential-of-polypropylene/. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Task Force on Infection Control. The more capital-intensive option of increasing the energy efficiency of the autoclave machines by 10% decreases GHG emissions by 8%. 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). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) measures the impact of products on the environment. Properties: Tungsten Carbide-An Overview. AZoM.com, 25 Nov. 2019, www.azom.com/properties.aspx?ArticleID=1203. Then we collected and structured the data in phase 2. Conversely, impacts can be reduced by autoclaving more LMAs at once or with other equipment with similar decontamination requirements. Die Basics 101: Intro to Stamping. The Fabricators, 18 July 2018, www.thefabricator.com/thefabricator/article/stamping/die-basics-101-intro-to-stamping. The company urges users to mail packages over 15 lbs., in order to reduce the waste of mail as well, yet is not necessary. In conclusion, disposable razors are being used and thrown away at a rate that is unsustainable for the finite space on the planet. Figueredo E. Changes in the intracuff pressure of the laryngeal masks airway caused by repeated use. In life cycle assessment, the basis of comparison is called the functional unit. For this report, the functional unit of the disposable and reusable LMAs was taken to be maintenance of airway patency by 40 disposable LMAs or 40 uses of 1 reusable LMA.9 Data collection was specific to Yale New Haven Hospital, including device transportation, cleaning procedures and labor, energy requirements, and disposal. The tungsten carbide is then ground into an extremely fine powder in a wet mill process, where metal binders and other metals such as cobalt may be added to increase the metals strength and durability and to help hold the powder together when it is shaped. Tungsten Carbide. Encyclopdia Britannica, Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc., 17 Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/tungsten-carbide. During shaving, the sharp edges of the blade will chip off at a slow but steady rate, dulling the blade after repeated shavings. Land transport like trains and trucks use diesel as fuel and that produced 138,700 BTU (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). 3 in Table 1). The metal is heated to a temperature of 1967-2048 degrees Fahrenheit and tungsten carbide has a specific heat of 0.226 BTU/lb/Fahrenheit (Safety razor). Assessing all steps in that life cycle provides insight into individual stresses and burden shifts from one step to another and enables understanding of both the cumulative environmental impacts and related trade-offs in each area, throughout the lifespan of both a facility and its manufactured products. 3.7.Product Life Cycle Analysis . 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. 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. Direct emissions refer to any emissions that resulted from the burning of fossil fuels and Indirect emissions refer to any emissions that resulted from the generation of electricity. This study assumed no difference between the devices in terms of clinical efficacy or time for placement.4 Disposable LMAs were discarded in regular municipal solid waste bins after use. Life cycle assessment - Universitetet i Agder Being that it is such a common and quickly replaced product, this is is a major issue in terms of waste. 2006 have considered a process water flow of 10,000 m3/day for a time period of 15 years (system design life) as the function unit used in order to compare the different wastewater treatment processes . This is because of the complexity of the life cycle, from the acquisition of materials to the management of a product at the end of its life. But this is expected from a large brand like Gillette. 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. A complete life cycle cost analysis would complement the life cycle assessment results shown here; however, a simple analysis reveals that, assuming full utilization, a $200 reusable LMA costs $5 per use, plus $3 per cleaning for a unit cost of $8, excluding utility and hospital overhead costs. The life of a typical razor blade is not an easy one. The total energy consumption of the Babyplast in its four-step molding cycle of setup, fill, cool, and reset was approximately 4.5 kilowatts (Weissman et.al). SimaPro 7.3.2. Comparison of disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways in spontaneously ventilating adult patients. The natural half life of a large stock of reusable laryngeal mask airways at a teaching hospital. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Sustainability Assessment - Fraunhofer 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. In addition, although this life cycle assessment study did not analyze health impacts during use of an LMA, intraoperative exposure to diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is of some concern. Staff, Creative Mechanisms. Int J Life Cycle Assess 2001;6:7680, 13. Plastics are cleaned and pelletized to be recycled into new products, such as picnic tables and park benches. Composition Assumptions for Disposable and Reusable Largyngeal Mask Airways (LMAs). 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 study found that: The majority of life cycle human health impacts of disposable LMAs are caused by PVC use in packaging and the device itself. Comparative life cycle assessment of disposable and reusable - PubMed The purpose of this assessment is to compare two different types of razors: cartridge based vs. double edge safety razor. 21 offers from $5.20. The extraction and consumption of resources (including energy), as well as releases to air, water, and soil, are quantified throughout all stages. Through an examination of how the raw materials: carbide steel, tungsten steel, and a combination of the plastics: polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide of the razors decompose, and how much waste is accumulated in making the razors, an assessment can be made for the duration of their life cycle. The second component of the razor is the plastic body which is made of a fairly inexpensive plastic called polystyrene. Life cycle assessment software I used GaBi 6 software, produced by PE International. How Long Will It Take That Bag of Trash to Decompose in a Landfill?The Balance Small Business, The Balance Small Business, 22 Oct. 2019, www.thebalancesmb.com/how-long-does-it-take-garbage-to-decompose-2878033#plastic-waste. 3. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) Hazard Summary. Your message has been successfully sent to your colleague. a Centers for Disease Control. 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. This manuscript was handled by: Steven L. Shafer, MD. PDF A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Compostable and Reusable Takeout DEHP is a plasticizer routinely added to impart flexibility to PVC-based products, such as IV bags, tubing, and endotracheal tubes. 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. Life Cycle Approach to Plastic Pollution - Life Cycle Initiative Bic Disposable Razor (1975). Plastics News Europe, 19 Nov. 2009, www.plasticsnewseurope.com/article/20091119/PNE/311199986/bic-disposable-razor-1975. EPA. 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. Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2002, 26. [PDF] Life Cycle Assessment: Reusable and disposable nappies in At every point during planning, production, and even marketing, the quantity of consumption should be analyzed to adjust business models accordingly. BIC has done their best to deal with waste in an environmentally conscious manner. Highlights Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) covers all relevant inputs from the environment (e.g., ores and crude oil, water, land use) as well as emissions into air, water and soil (e.g., carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides). With the amount of waste accumulated from the factories and the bulk of the razors ending up in landfills and oceans, a low price of $1 removes the buyer from how high the cost on the environment a disposable razor is. The metal liquid then goes through a strengthening process called annealing. 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. It all starts with the melting and combining of the desired metal. London Depending upon on how the razor is packaged, the finished cartridge may or may not be assembled onto the handle of the razor, as some companies choose to package the handle detached the cartridge(s). Olsen, Alexandra. Scope of the life cycle assessment for disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways (LMAs). The results also suggest effective procurement strategies for reducing the impacts of disposable LMAs where they are selected. 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). The human-health-related impact categories are pertinent to those developing standards for the delivery of health care. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. Impact Assessment. The cartridge-based razor had a slightly higher impact due to the rubber parts which cant be separated from the plastic body. : Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts, ChemicalSafetyFacts.org,). This practice meets American Society of Anesthesiologists' recommendations for infection control for equipment requiring high-level disinfection.14. An LCA is a life cycle assessment which is completed through research, testing and understanding of the environmental impacts a particular item creates through it's resources use/ production/distribution/disposal. A life-cycle assessment or LCA is a 'cradle to grave' analysis of the impact of a manufactured product on the environment. These benefits must be weighed against concerns regarding transmission of infection. 761 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[748 22]/Info 747 0 R/Length 72/Prev 421064/Root 749 0 R/Size 770/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream 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. Julabo Gmbh, et al. After the parts are manufactured it is time for the final product assembly. Finally, the assessment will be carried out on the new design to assess if it has a lower impact than the other options analysed. The Fate of the Disposable Razor.Industrial Equipment News (IEN), 7 Aug. 2019, www.ien.com/product-development/news/21081402/the-fate-of-the-disposable-razor. 1. Yet, as they are designed to be thrown away after use, a question is raised of their fast accumulating waste and its impact on the environment. 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 blades and lubricating strip were too light to be measured with our equipment so their weights were rounded to 1g. With such a fast accumulating waste and slow decomposition rate, there must be changes and incentive for companies to rethink the disposable razor. %%EOF Ann Fr Anesth Reanim 2006;25:8114, 7. In this section we also need to state the assumptions made during the process: By raising awareness and creating locations where one can drop off used razors for recycling, perhaps a change can come. 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. In this case its much harder for me to carry out an LCA on a Gillette razor than if Gillette did the LCA themselves, as they would have all the correct info required first-hand (reducing the number of assumptions needing to be used). Disposable razors are a product that can be found in almost any average bathroom. 15 - 21 Our group recently performed a life cycle assessment of anesthetic drug trays, finding that reusable trays were both environmentally and . 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. The LCA is broken into four stages: Defining the goal and scope how much of a product's lifecycle will be addressed, the reasons for carrying out the assessment, the intended audience, and the intended end-use [] If you count the actual razor cover (if you haven't lost it long ago) then it will be four pieces for recycling. Innovative and strategic advisor to leading philanthropies, corporates, governments, international institutions and NGOs. 5.Interpret and analyse the results. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Complete Beginner's Guide - Ecochain The materials used in the production of disposable razors are limited due to the products simplicity however, many of the materials are unsustainable in that they are not biodegradable or easily recyclable, and require heavy energy input to manufacture. Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Inc., 26 Sept. 2012, www.britannica.com/technology/tungsten-processing#ref82029. The blades are then carefully sharpened to create the razor blades. 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. There are many detailed stages but the main ones are: extracting and. 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. Zhang TW, Dornfeld DA. The autoclave was typically run with 5 LMAs, although loading varied significantly. For example, the designer might think that the manufacturing stage would be the most impactful, when in reality for some products its the raw material extraction or its use phase. Life-cycle assessment - Ways of reducing the use of resources - AQA Gillette's slogan 'Gillette - the best a man can get' is famous the world over. In this process, the metal is heated to temperatures of 1,967-2,048F (1,075-1,120C), then quenched in water to a temperature between -76- -112 F (-60- -80 C) to harden it. Ison E, Miller A. This project is a collaboration between the Great Recovery Programme and Fab Lab London. The largest sources of both cancer and noncancer impacts for the reusable LMA are from emissions from waste management (35%), the mining and production of metals to build wastewater treatment infrastructure (25%), and the bleaching of packaging paper and the card insert (20%). Lv, Andrea Lind, and Tigist Fetene. 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. Differences in environmental impacts between devices may present a compelling consideration in their selection. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. The high waste from manufacturing and shipping such a small, and cheap product is one that is negatively impacting the planet. Tungsten Carbide. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten_carbide. "Tungsten Processing." 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. Life cycle assessment Plastics Europe The company reported that with their hazardous waste in 2016 11 percent was recycled, 49 percent incinerated with energy recovery, 8 percent sent to land disposal, and 32 percent was sent off to be treated in another way (For You for Everyone Registration Document).

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