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 razors are mainly made of plastic, so they will be decomposing at a very slow rate in the landfill. 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. Zhang TW, Dornfeld DA. Here, Great Recovery Intern Sebastian de Cabo Portugal discusses Life Cycle Assessments. 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). 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). Overcash M. Comparison of reusable and disposable medical textiles. 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. 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 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 International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. Gillette Razor Local Recycling Solutions.TerraCycle, www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/gillette-local-recycling. 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 carbon footprint reported was separated into two sections which are direct and indirect emissions. 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. The LMA was then dried with a cotton towel. When you take your blades in to the scrap metal center, choose the steel recycling bin. Despite this, a general perception is that reusable LMAs possess a safety profile inferior to that of disposable LMAs, thus contributing to the proliferation of the latter. Impact Assessment. The life cycle of plastics Life cycle assessment (LCA) considers the environmental aspects associated with a product over its lifespan. 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). LCA's are completed particularly in relation to how to develop a sustainable world where less waste and more reuse is implemented. 39 ($0.37/Count) FREE delivery Thu, Mar 2 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon. The EPA has now stopped tracking the: impact of disposable razors on the environment and has no update on the figure (Olsen). Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 rev, 25. Where regulations permit, disposal of LMA-related waste as regular municipal waste, as opposed to biohazardous waste, should also reduce the adverse health effects stemming from medical waste incineration. 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. GaBi is a LCA software that allows its users to connect environmental impacts to a product across its lifespan. By not using air travel and transport, BIC greatly reduces their energy usage and carbon footprint at the same time. 3. Contrary to common expectation, hair is actually pretty hard. 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. 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. J Environ Assess Policy Manage 2000;2:45376, 2. The use of LCA to introduce life-cycle thinking into decision-making for the purchase of medical devices in the NHS. Gillette Mach3 Men's Disposable Razor for Sensitive Skin - Best Cartridge Razor for Sensitive Skin. In the case of the disposable razor however, it is fairly simple due to its nature. Disposable razors are created for a short user time, and an easy answer to the growing populations fast paced lifestyles and needs for shaving: they are primarily designed to be simple, economical, and disposable (Safety Razor). "Tungsten Processing." Holes are then punched into the metal and the tapelike sheets of razors are then put in a roll (Manufacturing Processes). Wat LI, Brimacombe JR, Gee S. Laryngeal mask airway longevity and pilot-balloon failure. Manufacturing Processes (RAZOR): KAI FACTORY: KAI Group.KAI FACTORY | KAI Group, www.kai-group.com/global/en/kai-factory/process/razor/. 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. The unit cost of disposable LMAs is 20% higher at approximately $9.60 per unit. Contribution: This author helped design the study, analyze the data, and prepare the manuscript. The alternatives are objects made of bio compostable plastic,. This is where the razors are portioned into their desired packaging amounts, that will be sent off to consumers. 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.. Rogers, Tony. Innovative and strategic advisor to leading philanthropies, corporates, governments, international institutions and NGOs. This is done on an assembly line by the robotic arm the inserts the razor blade into the small crevices in the plastic body. Accessed 28 Nov. 2019. www.thefabricator.com/thefabricator/article/stamping/die-basics-101-intro-to-stamping, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/07/landfill-waste-how-prevent-disposable-razor-plastic-pollution/1943345001/, http://www.greatrecovery.org.uk/resources/3682/, www.plasticsnewseurope.com/article/20091119/PNE/311199986/bic-disposable-razor-1975, www.nytimes.com/1982/04/11/business/how-bic-lost-the-edge-to-gillette.html, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemical-engineering/polyphenylene-oxides, www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-03/documents/ffrrofactsheet_contaminant_tungsten_january2014_final.pdf, www.kai-group.com/global/en/kai-factory/process/razor/, www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/reducing-trichloroethylene-tce-waste-fabricated-metals-sector, www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html, www.recyclingtoday.com/article/the-recycling-potential-of-polypropylene/, www.ssab.com/company/sustainability/sustainable-offering/steel-life-cycle?di=discover21C927E58ECC41198B78D915F7E3E2AF, BEHR Oil Based Interior/Exterior Primer and Sealer, California Academy of Sciences Living Roof Life Cycle, UC Davis Social Sciences and Humanities Building, A-Z List for Digital & Electronics Topics. Scope of the life cycle assessment for disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways (LMAs). 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. 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. A life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool for analyzing the environmental impacts and resources used throughout a product's life, from raw materials extraction to production, and extending through product use and disposal. The biggest impact during the cartridge-based razor life-cycle is manufacturing the cartridge as this is the part which is hardest to make. endstream endobj 752 0 obj <>stream 85 percent of the energy came from electricity, 14 percent came from gas, and the rest came from fuel oil (For You For Everyone Registration Document). 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. But what really goes into making one of these seemingly mundane disposable razors and what happens to it after its tossed in the trash? Sinha R, Sunder R. Retiring reusable laryngeal mask airways after 40: an anaesthetist's dilemma. The specific type or blend of plastic for BIC razors is used is called polystyrene (Europe). 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. 11 / Piece. Teoh W, Lim Y. 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. Safety Assessment of Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) Released from PVC Medical Devices. Once extracted, the tungsten is then shipped to a desired location for it to be manufactured into the metal compound. 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. Goodman EJ, Haas AJ. Kelly, John. 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 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. Polystyrene is not biodegradable and takes hundreds of years to break down. To go from raw materials to final product involves many steps and heavy energy input. 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. Wolters Kluwer Health 13, 14 There are few published life cycle assessment studies of medical items (ref. associated with the environmental interventions attributable to the life-cycle of a product. disposable paper diaper; material recycling; closed-loop recycling; life cycle assessment (LCA) 1. The company urges users to mail packages over 15 lbs., in order to reduce the waste of mail as well, yet is not necessary. (ii)Access paramount's competitive position? What's the Difference Between Disposable and Reusable Razors for Women?Venus, www.gillettevenus.com/en-us/womens-shaving-guide/learning-to-shave/disposable-razors-vs-refillable-razors/. Wang, Chun Tsin, and Alexander Sutulor. a Centers for Disease Control. 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. It is cheap and highly versatile, and can either be hard plastic material, or a soft foam material, making it one of the most common plastic materials manufactured and used (What Is Polystyrene? 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. Figueredo E. Changes in the intracuff pressure of the laryngeal masks airway caused by repeated use. 3. Quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Labor. Tungsten Carbide. Encyclopdia Britannica, Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc., 17 Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/tungsten-carbide. On the basis of such criteria, single-use disposable medical devices are increasingly supplanting reusable devices in the United States (US) and elsewhere.1 Although purchase and maintenance costs for disposable devices are perceived to be less than for reusables, this fails to account for indirect costs to society from the environmental impacts attributable to the entire life cycle of a device. These benefits must be weighed against concerns regarding transmission of infection. Facilities that select reusable devices should implement inventory and operating procedures that ensure that devices are reused to the greatest possible extent. 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). Each razor can last up to 12 gentle shaves. endstream endobj startxref BIC says its product beats out other models by 59 percent. On the other hand, extending the number of uses to 80 (doubling the lifetime) reduces GHG emissions by 9%. 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. 2002/03 and 2005/06, to include an assessment of the effects of a range of behavioural assumptions on the life cycle environmental impacts of the reusable nappy types, and to compare these with each other and with modern disposable nappies. Soulias M, Martin L, Garnier N, Juniot A, Aho L, Freysz M. Disposable vs reusable laryngeal mask airway: a cost-minimization analysis. 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. :396?Qkt)e. 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. This is shown through their commitment to their eco-design process and new recycling programs that are undergoing testing. 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). 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, Upgrading to a new, energy-efficient autoclave machine leads to a nearly equal reduction in life cycle GHG emissions and may be considered particularly in instances in which older equipment is being used. There are land, air, and water-based transportation methods. BIC is voicing their concern about the environmental impact that their large production goals can have. Eshwar Shop. Reprints will not be available from the authors. After the products make their way to consumers and serve their purpose, the waste must be dealt with. 0 8tZ These containers, mainly wooden pallets and spools, are subject to European legislat Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2002, 26. The Great Recovery was a project by the RSA working with Innovate UK which ran between 2012 and 2016. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a framework for assessing the environmental impacts of product systems and decisions. The data collected through LCA helps organizations make conscious decisions that affect the environment. Our team of experts has many years of experience in the ecological evaluation of products and services. The purpose of this assessment is to compare two different types of razors: cartridge based vs. double edge safety razor.