life cycle assessment of disposable razorslife cycle assessment of disposable razors

Polypropylene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene. 21 offers from $5.20. During the research, I could not find how much energy BIC injection molding machines use, but I did find the energy usage of a common injection molding machine called the Babyplast. endstream endobj 752 0 obj <>stream may email you for journal alerts and information, but is committed International Sympsium on Sustainable Systems and Technology. 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. 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. 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. This is shown through their commitment to their eco-design process and new recycling programs that are undergoing testing. Though technicians are paid regardless of whether they are cleaning LMAs or are performing some other task, these wages are nonetheless assigned to the reusable LMA on the basis of time spent. Evolution of disposable baby diapers in Europe: life cycle assessment This was a cradle-to-grave study that included inputs and outputs for the manufacture, transport, use, and waste phases of the LMAs. Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Reusable LMAs were collected in a dirty device bin on the anesthesia cart and then reprocessed by the anesthesia technicians. Tungsten carbide is a carbide compound, made up of equal parts of tungsten and carbon. Life cycle assessment of stainless-steel reusable speculums versus The disposable LMA consisted largely of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and the reusable LMA consisted primarily of silicone. What's the greenest way to shave? - Slate Magazine 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. From the *Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA; School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Department of Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine/YaleNew Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT. Funding: Department of Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine. In landfilling or incinerating this part, the large amount of energy and material value used in creating it is lost. 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 . Wat LI, Brimacombe JR, Gee S. Laryngeal mask airway longevity and pilot-balloon failure. A major flaw in the disposable razors design is in fact its inability to be sustainably and properly disposed, despite what its name suggests. Subramaniar Trading Company. 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. 6,474. Terracycle is a company that was created to address the issue of recyclable products that often end up in landfills. 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. The stability of the plastic components, while necessary for shelf stability and use, takes longer than one persons life-span to decompose. 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. xTkJ((5:Ome\%{yIlka;K=1 In this paper, many details about the life cycle stages were not included. Contribution: This author helped design the study and prepare the manuscript. For both environmental and cost considerations, management and operating procedures should be put in place to ensure that reusable LMAs are not discarded prematurely. Most of those razors just end up in a landfill because most countries are not recycling them. BIC is a French manufacturing company that produces a variety of disposable consumer products like pens, lighters and disposable razors. %%EOF Life Cycle Assessment of a Building | Sphera Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. The Eco-Indicator method is a tool developed to help designers conduct a simplified LCA study. In this case it was very difficult to see what materials the product contained and exactly how it was manufactured (as the big manufacturing companies wouldnt disclose this information), so some of the data had to be assumed. Redesigning the Razor Life Cycle Assessment.The Great Recovery, www.greatrecovery.org.uk/resources/3682/. Technical Fact Sheet-Tungsten.Technical Fact Sheet- Tungsten, EPA, Jan. 2014, www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-03/documents/ffrrofactsheet_contaminant_tungsten_january2014_final.pdf. What Is Polystyrene? And then there's the water. 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). 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. How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed? Chronicle, 20 Aug. 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/how-is-tungsten-carbide-formed/. On the basis of information provided by the distributing company, the disposable LMA was manufactured in Hangzhou, China, and the reusable LMA was manufactured in Singapore. :396?Qkt)e. 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). use/disposable and multiple-use/washable surgical gowns. 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. endstream endobj startxref The Environmental Protection Agency classifies DEHP as a probable carcinogen, and as a possible endocrine disrupter.24 The FDA issued an advisory in 2002 recommending steps be taken to reduce the risk of exposure to DEHP in certain populations.25 There is enough evidence of reproductive and developmental toxicant effects from DEHP for the FDA to recommend alternatives for patients deemed at high risk, namely infants, toddlers, and pregnant and lactating women. Weissman, Alexander, et al. 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?). Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2009;53:6878, 19. Reusable LMAs in general appear to be made largely of silicone, lacking these same concerns for PVC/DEHP. Anesthesia & Analgesia114(5):1067-1072, May 2012. The largest difference in environmental impacts is seen in the impact category of carcinogenesis, in which reusable LMAs cause 5% of the impacts of disposable LMAs. Case Studies. Case Studies : Reducing BIC's Rejection Rates | KEYENCE America, www.keyence.com/solutions/case-studies/bic.jsp. Marine cargo ships use a fuel called heavy fuel oil which produces around 145,000 BTU per gallon (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). LCAs can be used comparatively to assess different product or service design options or to identify environmental . Address correspondence to Jodi Sherman, MD, Yale University, School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, 333 Cedar Street, TMP3, New Haven, CT 06520. 2. To make the handle and cartridges, these various plastics are heated together and melted together along with optional colorants and various filler materials. The 1% of the material that is recycled however, goes through a 5 step recycling process which is collecting, sorting, cleaning, reprocessing, and producing new products. An updated lifecycle assessment for disposable and reusable nappies Atlanta, 2012. Anaesthesia 2007;62:3814, 5. van Zundert AAJ, Fonck K, Al-Shaikh B, Mortier E. Comparison of the LMA-Classic with the new disposable soft seal laryngeal mask in spontaneously breathing adult patients. Life cycle environmental impacts of disposable medical masks Park Ridge, IL: American Society of Anesthesiologists, 1999, 15. In the late 1990s, disposable LMAs became available. This short course will give you an introduction to life cycle assessment (LCA) methods and how to apply them in real-life situations.. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a rapidly evolving tool used to determine impacts of products or systems over a range of environmental and resource issues. Disposable and reusable nappies in the UK: life cycle assessment The next step the blade goes through is called polishing in which is done using strops made out of cowhide to get the desired blade edge shape, the blade is then cut into the sizes of the individual blades, which are then sent off to be inspected. In 2016, Bic reduced packaging for their Soleil Razor by 40%. 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. The LMA, within the heat seal pouch, was then placed in the steam autoclave sterilizing machine (Castle/Getinge MC 3522). 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. Anaesth Intensive Care 2010;38:538, 9. Tungsten has a high melting point and is used mainly for strong tools unless used for smaller applications when combined with a carbon alloy: Its alloys are employed in rocket-engine nozzles and other aerospace applications (Safety Razors). Siddle, Dave. 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. All that is needed is the insertion of the razor blade into the plastic body. With the recommended use of three to ten uses for disposable razors, they quickly end up in the landfill to decompose. The studies have not found it to be harmful to drinking water, or public safety, however, it is an ongoing research of soil data that continues. 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. Poly(Phenylene Oxide). The Polymer Science Learning Center, www.pslc.ws/macrog/ppo.htm. Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Inc., 26 Sept. 2012, www.britannica.com/technology/tungsten-processing#ref82029. 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. your express consent. With the results we supply the basis for strategic decisions for sustainable action. (PDF) Sources, Fate and Effects of Microplastics in the Marine 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. Cad M, Webb T, Bjorksten A. The life cycle for disposable razors must first be assessed by the products design. The LMAs were first rinsed in tap water, scrubbed externally with a Hibiclens sponge and internally with a small scrub brush, and rinsed again. What Is Polystyrene? 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. Being that it is such a common and quickly replaced product, this is is a major issue in terms of waste. 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). Dbendorf, Switzerland, 2011, 12. Each year in Italy, millions of tons of fruits and vegetables are harvested, packed and transported to national and foreign retail outlets. Manufacturers can do this solely by machine or by human eye/hand plus machine for extra quality assurance. At every point during planning, production, and even marketing, the quantity of consumption should be analyzed to adjust business models accordingly. A SYSTEMATIC METHODOLOGY FOR ACCURATE DESIGN-STAGE ESTIMATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR INJECTION MOLDED PARTS. The life cycle of plastics Life cycle assessment (LCA) considers the environmental aspects associated with a product over its lifespan. By not using air travel and transport, BIC greatly reduces their energy usage and carbon footprint at the same time. However, BIC did report some of its transportation statistics. All of these software packages and models are in widespread use by life cycle assessment practitioners in the US and internationally. Wang, Chun Tsin, and Alexander Sutulor. 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. The results also suggest effective procurement strategies for reducing the impacts of disposable LMAs where they are selected. These benefits must be weighed against concerns regarding transmission of infection. Life Cycle Assessment - definition & methodology. Interpretation of results The last step in the process is to interpret the results and compare them against each other. Life cycle assessment - Universitetet i Agder Brimacombe J, Keller C, Morris R, Mecklem D. A comparison of the disposable versus the reusable laryngeal mask airway in paralyzed adult patients. Due to the nature of the disposable razor, they are usually just thrown in the trash and sent off to a landfill. The body of both razors had similar impact as their weights were also quite similar. Nash, Nathaniel C. HOW BIC LOST THE EDGE TO GILLETTE. The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Apr. 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. Applying this method of assessment is complex and difficult and translating the theory into a . Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a framework for assessing the environmental impacts of product systems and decisions. This manuscript was handled by: Steven L. Shafer, MD. An estimated 1 L of tap water was used to wash and rinse 1 LMA (or 40 L over a lifetime of 40 uses). 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. We performed a life cycle assessment of 2 analogous LMAs, the disposable LMA Unique and the reusable LMA Classic, according to internationally accepted standard life cycle assessment methods (ISO 14040: 2006). : Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts. ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 17 June 2019, www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Safety Assessment of Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) Released from PVC Medical Devices. Biron, Michel. Waste is not only a problem when a product is disposed of, but also when it is initially manufactured. There are various ways that the product can get there. The specific type or blend of plastic for BIC razors is used is called polystyrene (Europe). What is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)? - Sphera These results will then be used to inform the design process and improve the redesigned razor. qILL@#nO @8 In addition to traditional criteria for the selection and purchase of medical devices that include safety, efficacy, and cost, 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 product selection process. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a modeling tool for quantifying the environmental impacts of products and processes. Marinella Levi. The total amount of indirect emissions was 89,762 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). 2011, Packaging Technology and Science. An LCA is an accounting of the inputs and outputs for a product system, beginning with extraction of raw materials from the earth and continuing through all of the steps of transportation, manufacturing, product fabrication, product use, and end-of-life, which may include reuse, recycling . This is where the razors are portioned into their desired packaging amounts, that will be sent off to consumers. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Complete Beginner's Guide - Ecochain Despite its ability to be recycled, it often ends up in the landfill as many people dont know how to properly recycle it, people are too lazy to recycle, or the plastics arent labeled properly (Polypropylene. Wikipedia). American Medical Association (AMA). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) explained - PR Sustainability Features Downloads. LCA for product sustainability. Anesthesiology 2003;99:1066, 6. 4. It is used to assist companies, consumers, and policy-makers in greening their practices and decisions. If you count the actual razor cover (if you haven't lost it long ago) then it will be four pieces for recycling. How One Facility Completely Eliminated the Use of TCE Schick Razor Blade Manufacturing in Knoxville, Tennessee. 2017. 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. 8 John Adam Street 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. Policy H-135.945: Encouraging Alternatives to PVC/DEHP Products in Health. 39 ($0.37/Count) FREE delivery Thu, Mar 2 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon. 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). Sustainable Development at BIC . 6 Jan. 2011. Manufacturer specifications indicate 20 kWh of electricity use for a 5-minute cycle at 135C. The following document provides an introductory overview of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and describes the general uses and major components of LCA. 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. Contribution: This author helped conduct the study and analyze the data. There are 3 key tasks in this step. 2.Define the life-cycle Life Cycle Assessments - Diaper Answers 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. Safety Razor. How Products Are Made www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. RSA The product doesnt contain any material labels, so the materials have been assumed to be low alloy steel for the body, PP for the plastic parts of the body, EPDM rubber for the grip and an acrylic polymer coating for the lubricating band. They report their waste production being at 340 tons, which represented an increase of 22% from 2015 (Bic). 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. The Great Recovery was a project by the RSA working with Innovate UK which ran between 2012 and 2016. However, we can discuss the energy usage of different modes of transportation. BIC states that it prides itself on producing affordable, safe, and quality razors for its customers worldwide. Production of razor blades across the industry is fairly standard. London It can be used to study the environmental impact of either a product or the function the product is designed to perform. Scope of the life cycle assessment for disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways (LMAs). Properly Recycle Your Disposable Razors | Leafygreen.info Data is temporarily unavailable. 1. Each time the steam autoclave machine conducts a sterilizing cycle, a large amount of energy is used to heat the steam. There are three main materials used in the plastic handle and the cartridge of the disposable razor. I found information about the whole blade manufacturing process, but could not find details about energy consumption in every step of the process. The remaining percentage is split up between energy consumption in their three facilities in: Clichy (France), Shelton (U.S.), and Cajamar (Brazil) (For You For Everyone: Registration Document, Bic). 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. Conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): from Theory to Practical Anesth Analg 2004;99:6267, 17. The alloy is strong enough to resist moisture for a short time in the buyers shower, yet, in the landfill, it does eventually rust and decompose. What makes for an easy, simple, and affordable mass produced and used product costs more in its long afterlife in the landfill, out of sight of the buyers awareness. To aid in solving this issue, I believe consumers should stray away from wasteful disposable razors and be encouraged to go with more sustainable and longer lasting options such as classic safety razors. The plastic, however stable for the user, remains stable long after it is thrown away as well. 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. Kaplan, Desire. Overcash M. Comparison of reusable and disposable medical textiles. 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.). Once extracted, the tungsten is then shipped to a desired location for it to be manufactured into the metal compound. On the other hand, extending the number of uses to 80 (doubling the lifetime) reduces GHG emissions by 9%. 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. The extraction and consumption of resources (including energy), as well as releases to air, water, and soil, are quantified throughout all stages. BIC has noted however that they strive to be as efficient with materials used when it comes to their packaging. The original LMA was a reusable device (Intavent International SA, Henley-on-Thames, UK). 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 next step is to temper the steel at a temperature of 482-752F (250- 400C) and pressed into thin sheets (Safety Razor, madehow.com). 1982, www.nytimes.com/1982/04/11/business/how-bic-lost-the-edge-to-gillette.html. 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. PDF An updated lifecycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies Lippiatt BC, Boyles AS. 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. It has been assumed that the only part recycled at the end of life is the packaging. 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. Max Soft Disposable Razor For Women - 3 Pcs In A Pack. Overview. The GTG LCIs are added together to give a cradle-to-gate (CTG) life cycle inventory . Because of its high stability, PPO is a very widely used plastic for many different household items.
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