life cycle assessment of disposable razors

The data collected through LCA helps organizations make conscious decisions that affect the environment. 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. Tungsten carbide is a carbide compound, made up of equal parts of tungsten and carbon. 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. (PDF) Sources, Fate and Effects of Microplastics in the Marine Goal, scope and background The industrial packages sector has great importance for the transport sector in Europe. 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. The metal is not yet to its final form, as it is still greatly held together by the previously added binders. What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal? AZoM.com, 2 Aug. 2009, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4827. Here, Great Recovery Intern Sebastian de Cabo Portugal discusses Life Cycle Assessments. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A Guide to Best Practice - ResearchGate Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) - A Complete Guide to LCAs Teoh W, Lim Y. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) is where the impacts on the environment are calculated. 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. For climate change impacts specifically, the reusable LMA contributes 7.4 kg CO2e of GHGs over its life cycle, and the equivalent 40 disposable LMAs contribute 11.3 kg CO2e, or approximately the equivalent to burning a gallon (4 L) of gasoline. Life Cycle Assessment Study single use vs. multiple use Camera visual inspection is performed and This is all to ensure BICs quality standards are being met and ensure a quality product. 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. Gillette Mach3 Disposable Razors for Men, 6 Count, Designed for Sensitive Skin. qILL@#nO @8 Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) Hazard Summary. 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. Sherman JD, Ryan S. Ecological responsibility in anesthesia practice. For You For Everyone: Registration Document.Bic World, Bic, 2016, www.bicworld.com/sites/default/files/2017-03/BIC_DRF2016_EN.pdf. Rogers, Tony. Policy H-135.945: Encouraging Alternatives to PVC/DEHP Products in Health. 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. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/cjd/qa_cjd_infection_control.htm. Staff, RT. However, of the 2 billion razors disposed of annually, about 32% end up in the ocean (Kaplan). 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. Scope of the life cycle assessment for disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways (LMAs). The alloy must allow for easy manufacturing due to the high demand of disposable razors and enough strength to last through transportation and shelf holding. Several waste management scenarios were also considered, including 100% landfilling and 100% incineration, because practices are highly location dependent. Conversely, impacts can be reduced by autoclaving more LMAs at once or with other equipment with similar decontamination requirements. BIC said that around 98 percent of its intercompany product transfer was done by transportation methods that were not related to air-freight (For You For Everyone Registration Document). Anesthesia & Analgesia114(5):1067-1072, May 2012. "Tungsten Processing." E.P.A. Being that it is such a common and quickly replaced product, this is is a major issue in terms of waste. Polystyrene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene. Any extra plastic will be discarded, remelted, and reused (Safety Razor, madehow.com). Most tungsten, about 85%, is extracted from various ores in China (Siddle, How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?). A life-cycle inventory of cloth and disposable diapers was conducted based on diapering habits in Canada The parameters evaluated were energy consumption, water consumption, raw materials 15 Crop water use and water use efficiency on irrigated cotton farms in Australia S. Tennakoon, S. Milroy Environmental Science 2003 93 HUO0NpnaJd@"&u[kj-+8=WU\*w)OMYb_ry> 1F3 nyNnb 0 Steel Life Cycle.SSAB, www.ssab.com/company/sustainability/sustainable-offering/steel-life-cycle?di=discover21C927E58ECC41198B78D915F7E3E2AF. 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%). 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. BIC reported that every year around 2.6 billion of their razors are chosen by consumers every year (Shaver's). 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. 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. They report their waste production being at 340 tons, which represented an increase of 22% from 2015 (Bic). Thomas, G.P. 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. Highly effective in driving partnerships, public policies and projects that accelerate the shift towards a sustainable built environment. To begin the process of making tungsten carbide, the tungsten must first be extracted. 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. Another material used is polystyrene. 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. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2011, 16. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Packaging is an . A life cycle assessment or analysis according to ISO 14040/14044 is an instrument of environmental and sustainability management. Biron, Michel. Terracycle. Biro P. Damage to laryngeal masks during sterilization. Comparison of disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways in spontaneously ventilating adult patients. All that is needed is the insertion of the razor blade into the plastic body. Individually autoclaving the reusable LMA (because of stock shortages, for example) increased life cycle GHG emissions by >400%, whereas loading with 10 LMAs per cycle decreased emissions by nearly 25%. Contact Supplier. For You for Everyone Registration Document. Razor blades dull quickly after repeated use, and are recommended to be used only three to ten times, making them a cheap alternative to reusable cartridges. 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. 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. 2019, science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/polystyrene-recycling.htm. This is where the razors are portioned into their desired packaging amounts, that will be sent off to consumers. Contribution: This author helped design the study, analyze the data, and prepare the manuscript. 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. Comparison of the single use and reusable intubating laryngeal mask airway. LCA can be used to compare alternative products, processes or services; compare alternative life cycles for a certain product . Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment of Disposable Bioreactors - BioProcess InternationalBioProcess International Upstream Processing Bioprocessing begins upstream, most often with culturing of animal or microbial cells in a range of vessel types (such as bags or stirred tanks) using different controlled feeding, aerating, and process strategies. %%EOF Health care facilities can decrease their environmental impacts by using reusable LMAs, to a lesser extent by selecting disposable LMA models that are not made of certain plastics, and by ordering in bulk from local distributors. 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. 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. There are land, air, and water-based transportation methods. Overall BIC is an industry leader when it comes to reducing the environmental impact that their disposable products make. When the devices entered use at Yale New Haven Hospital, both the disposable and the reusable LMAs were removed from their original packaging, which was discarded. The number of BIC razors that are used by consumers is astounding. 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). Life Cycle Assessment: Disposable paper cups by Shanice Robbins : Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts. ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 17 June 2019, www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/. Redesigning the Razor Life Cycle Assessment. The Great Recovery, http://www.greatrecovery.org.uk/resources/3682/. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Environmental LCA - Life Cycle Initiative Overall, reusable LMAs were found to have fewer negative environmental effects in nearly all categories, typically contributing <50% of the impacts of disposable LMAs. 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. 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). 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. Wages are then spent on food, entertainment, transport, and other economic activities that themselves have environmental impacts. : Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts, ChemicalSafetyFacts.org,). My next blog post will show some design recommendations using sketches and 3D-printed prototypes. Decision makers have typically favored disposable LMAs because the purchase price is perceived to be less for a comparable quantity of disposable LMAs, in comparison with 1 reusable LMA with its associated labor costs for in-house reprocessing.6. 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. 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. For example, LCA results can tell us if one product is environmentally preferable to another . Each time the steam autoclave machine conducts a sterilizing cycle, a large amount of energy is used to heat the steam. By far, the biggest impact during the manufacturing of the razors was the 17 spot welds done in each cartridge. Product Ecology (PR) Consultants. 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). Polycarbonate production (14%), transportation via truck (15%), thermoforming (13%), and waste disposal (11%) cause the majority of the remaining emissions. 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). The specific type or blend of plastic for BIC razors is used is called polystyrene (Europe). You Asked, We Answered. Chronicle, 12 June 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/what-is-tungsten-carbide-you-asked-we-answered/. By not using air travel and transport, BIC greatly reduces their energy usage and carbon footprint at the same time. may email you for journal alerts and information, but is committed Questions and Answers: CreutzfeldtJakob Disease Infection-Control Practices. 1. In this paper, many details about the life cycle stages were not included. Lippiatt BC, Boyles AS. 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). Get new journal Tables of Contents sent right to your email inbox, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/cjd/qa_cjd_infection_control.htm, Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Laryngeal Mask Airways, Articles in PubMed by Matthew Eckelman, PhD, Articles in Google Scholar by Matthew Eckelman, PhD, Other articles in this journal by Matthew Eckelman, PhD, May 2012 - Environment and Anesthesia Practice, A Comparison of Reusable and Disposable Perioperative Textiles: Sustainability State-of-the-Art 2012, Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Anesthetic Drugs, Environmental and Occupational Considerations of Anesthesia: A Narrative Review and Update, Global Warming Potential of Inhaled Anesthetics: Application to Clinical Use, A Survey of Anesthesiologists' Views of Operating Room Recycling, Privacy Policy (Updated December 15, 2022), International Anesthesia Research Society. There is always some level of uncertainty in the results and in the methodology; so users shouldnt take the numbers shown as absolute values, but more as a guide to prioritise work. 2. 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 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. Ask a worker if you can put them in the bin by themselves or if they need to be in a recyclable container to protect sanitation workers from being cut. A combination of transportation methods is used depending on where the product needs to go. The Ramboll Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) found that, assuming realistic usage over a year, the energy consumption involved in the use phase of reusable plastic and traditional crockery, during in-store or out-sourced washing and drying, outweighed the environmental impact of single-use paper dishes. The authors declare no conflict of interest. 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. 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. There are three main materials used in the plastic handle and the cartridge of the disposable razor. Hedrick, Art. An exact number for the energy use for BIC was not obtained. climate change, summer smog, resource depletion, acidification, human health effects, etc. Rogers, Tony. 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. The scope of our analysis, as is shown in Figure 1, includes extraction of material and energy resources, manufacturing, packaging and transport from the manufacturing site to the distribution center and the hospital, reprocessing, and eventual disposal. Life cycle assessment - Environmental Assessment and Optimization Group 2 offers from $9.92. I found information about the whole blade manufacturing process, but could not find details about energy consumption in every step of the process. 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. 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. However, BIC did report some of its transportation statistics. The life cycle for disposable razors must first be assessed by the products design. In addition, the impact categories of eutrophication (growth of microorganisms due to excess nutrients) and terrestrial ecotoxicity reflect the impacts on other species and ecosystems and have implications for public health. 3. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Europa 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. What Is Polystyrene? Highlights These are the reasons why I will carry out an Eco-Indicator Assessment instead of a full LCA. A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Packaging for the Distribution of Italian Fruit and Vegetables. 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. 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. The metal must be mined and extracted from the mountain causing an emission of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases (Wang). Wat LI, Brimacombe JR, Gee S. Laryngeal mask airway longevity and pilot-balloon failure. 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). Chain Management by Life Cycle Assessment (CMLCA) software has been used to conduct the LCA and Ecoinvent 2.01 has been used for life cycle inventory data. The second component of the razor is the plastic body which is made of a fairly inexpensive plastic called polystyrene. 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. Ecoinvent 2.2. Disposable Razors in Bulk, Bulk Razors with Knife Caps, Individually Packaged Disposable Razors Bulk, Suitable for Hotels, Shelters, Homeless People, Nursing Homes, Charities, Churches (60) 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (9) $22.39 $ 22. BIC may be doing as much as possible to lessen the impact of the production of disposable razors, but due to the massive production it will because unsustainable, because of the energy input, material consumptions, and unrecyclable nature of disposable razors. Applying this method of assessment is complex and difficult and translating the theory into a . Nash, Nathaniel C. HOW BIC LOST THE EDGE TO GILLETTE. The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Apr. There are 3 key tasks in this step. There much environmentally friendly options when it comes to shavings, such as the traditional safety razor and straight razors, which can have a much longer life than disposable razors. 3. Life cycle assessment comparison among different reuse intensities for 2011, Packaging Technology and Science. Alternate assumptions were used to test model sensitivity and to create bounds to aid interpretation of the results (Table 2). Polypropylene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene. 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. An updated lifecycle assessment for disposable and reusable nappies Report that looks at the effect of disposable and reusable nappies on global warming and other environmental impacts. 5.Interpret and analyse the results. 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). 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 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). For both environmental and cost considerations, management and operating procedures should be put in place to ensure that reusable LMAs are not discarded prematurely. Saudi J Anaesth 2008;2:58. This practice meets American Society of Anesthesiologists' recommendations for infection control for equipment requiring high-level disinfection.14. 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 E-LCA is a time tested assessment technique that evaluates environmental performance throughout the life cycle of a product or from performing a service. The metal liquid then goes through a strengthening process called annealing. :396?Qkt)e. 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). After the products make their way to consumers and serve their purpose, the waste must be dealt with. The long and harmful life-cycle of disposable razors is not reflected to the buyer browsing aisles of fully stocked razor shelves. The purpose of this assessment is to compare two different types of razors: cartridge based vs. double edge safety razor. Disposable and reusable LMAs typically differ in material composition, packaging, reuse, and cost.

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