life cycle assessment of disposable razors

0 8tZ A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Packaging for the Distribution of Italian Fruit and Vegetables. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a process of evaluating the effects that a product has on the environment over the entire period of its life thereby increasing resource-use efficiency and decreasing liabilities. Not all form of impacts are valued the same, so the ones with the largest impact should be tackled first in order to produce the maximum overall improvement. The stability of the plastic components, while necessary for shelf stability and use, takes longer than one persons life-span to decompose. The plastic handle and head of the disposable razor consists of a hybrid of polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide, also known as PPO. LCA is a standardized, science-based tool for quantifying the impact in order to assess lifetime environmental impact. 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. During production, two components have to be created which are the blade and the plastic body. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) is where the impacts on the environment are calculated. 3.7.Product Life Cycle Analysis . Introduction Paper diapers are roughly divided into two types: those for infants and those for adults. 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 . This project is a collaboration between the Great Recovery Programme and Fab Lab London. This is known as a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) This can be extremely complex because it can involve dozens of separate processes, as well as hundreds of tracked substances. Pollution of the oceans from plastics has become an increasingly large issue that researchers are still assessing. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Redesigning the Razor Life Cycle Assessment. The Great Recovery, http://www.greatrecovery.org.uk/resources/3682/. 11 / Piece. There is also an additional resin called fluorine resin that is applied to the blades, which allows them to freely glide on the skin. 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. 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. 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). 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. These containers, mainly wooden pallets and spools, are subject to European legislat 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). Address correspondence to Jodi Sherman, MD, Yale University, School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, 333 Cedar Street, TMP3, New Haven, CT 06520. Contrary to common expectation, hair is actually pretty hard. Any extra plastic will be discarded, remelted, and reused (Safety Razor, madehow.com). The blades do eventually dissipate within the landfill, yet, it is not cost-free, as the tungsten waste can be ultimately harmful to the environment. 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). LCAs can be used comparatively to assess different product or service design options or to identify environmental . 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). 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%. 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. 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?). 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.. Packaging is an . 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. 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). 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. 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. In this paper, many details about the life cycle stages were not included. Disposable LMAs are made largely from PVC plastic, which is associated with a number of health concerns that are gaining increased attention.23 Historic efforts to minimize routine medical incineration resulted in the 1998 Memorandum of Understanding between the American Hospital Association and the US Environmental Protection Agency, largely on the basis of recognition of the potential carcinogenic effects of burning PVC plastics. This points to the need for effective inventory control, which is also critical for the reusable devices because there needs to be a sufficient number clean and on hand while another batch is undergoing cleaning, sterilization, and cooling. 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. The razors are mainly made of plastic, so they will be decomposing at a very slow rate in the landfill. Click the image for pricing & more info. These are the reasons why I will carry out an Eco-Indicator Assessment instead of a full LCA. They have estimated that they expend around 11.77 gigajoules of energy per ton of their products that they produce (For You For Everyone Registration Document) The BIC report also categorized the energy where they obtained the energy. 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. The unit cost of disposable LMAs is 20% higher at approximately $9.60 per unit. Redesigning the Razor Life Cycle Assessment.The Great Recovery, www.greatrecovery.org.uk/resources/3682/. Wages are then spent on food, entertainment, transport, and other economic activities that themselves have environmental impacts. Considering human health concerns, the majority (60%) of impacts for the disposable LMA is due to the production of polymers, PVC in particular, with emissions from incineration contributing another 15%. Anyone can send in razors of any kind, and the plastic and cardboard packaging as well. 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. There are land, air, and water-based transportation methods. Properly following the instructions it should (hopefully) leave you with three pieces, the handle, the metal blade, the plastic that was covering the blade. The biggest impact during the cartridge-based razor life-cycle is manufacturing the cartridge as this is the part which is hardest to make. Facilities that select reusable devices should implement inventory and operating procedures that ensure that devices are reused to the greatest possible extent. 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. The metal must be mined and extracted from the mountain causing an emission of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases (Wang). climate change, summer smog, resource depletion, acidification, human health effects, etc. Sinha R, Sunder R. Retiring reusable laryngeal mask airways after 40: an anaesthetist's dilemma. A Comparison Life Cycle Assessment between Razor Blade and Electric Shaver. Dec. 2012. your express consent. 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. A 20-mL disposable syringe was used during device placement to inflate the cuffs of both types of LMAs to ensure proper fit, and a procedure was then performed. Zhang TW, Dornfeld DA. Iatrogenic transmission of the CreutzfeldtJakob disease agent has been reported in >250 patients worldwide, and 6 of these were linked to the use of contaminated equipment, all of which were neurosurgical related. Their disposable nature causes them to be put into landfills faster than it takes them to be made, packaged, and shipped. The results also suggest effective procurement strategies for reducing the impacts of disposable LMAs where they are selected. 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. Siddle, Dave. Life cycle assessment software I used GaBi 6 software, produced by PE International. This means that it takes around 1 BTU to heat a 0.035-ounce razor blade to the desired temperature (Julabo et.al). Williams S, Henderson K. A survey into the number of times laryngeal masks are used. The powder is then shaped, usually by the process of die stamping. Terracycle is a company that was created to address the issue of recyclable products that often end up in landfills. This practice meets American Society of Anesthesiologists' recommendations for infection control for equipment requiring high-level disinfection.14. 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. The processes that contribute to these emissions differ markedly between the 2 LMA devices. The blades are then carefully sharpened to create the razor blades. 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. 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. However, the viability of the disposable razor is always thrown into question because of the sheer amount of resources that it expends. The disposable LMA consisted largely of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and the reusable LMA consisted primarily of silicone. Applying this method of assessment is complex and difficult and translating the theory into a . 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. . Contribution: This author helped design the study and prepare the manuscript. Goal, scope and background The industrial packages sector has great importance for the transport sector in Europe. After that the blades go through a blade edging process, which consists of the blade strips first being coarsely ground by whetstone, second being ground at an angle with a finer whetstone, and then having the tip of the blades ground (Manufacturing Processes). Life cycle assessment is a "cradle-to-grave" approach for determining the financial and environmental costs of a product over its entire life. 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 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.). In this section we also need to state the assumptions made during the process: It all starts with the melting and combining of the desired metal. 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). For example, LCA results can tell us if one product is environmentally preferable to another . However, by looking at just this one company, there is a sense of the massive amount of direct and indirect emissions from just the making of razors that are thrown away so quickly after use, with an increase annually of users. The Eco-Indicator method is a tool developed to help designers conduct a simplified LCA study. Please try after some time. BIC Group, 2016, For You For Everyone Registration Document. Once in the landfill, it usually takes around 20-30 years to breakdown. On the basis of observation at Yale New Haven Hospital, it takes approximately 10 minutes to conduct all cleaning processes for 1 LMA, which is equivalent to roughly $3 in wages. Contribution: This author helped design the study, analyze the data, and prepare the manuscript. BIC has noted however that they strive to be as efficient with materials used when it comes to their packaging. The actual making of the razors, and printing paper for their packaging has a lower environmental impact, than the waste from the factories high energy use. Buy Now. McGain F, McAlister S, McGavin A, Story D. The financial and environmental costs of reusable and single-use plastic anaesthetic drug trays. This break-even point will change depending on the category of environmental impact being considered. 1. Cad M, Webb T, Bjorksten A. Quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Labor. They report their waste production being at 340 tons, which represented an increase of 22% from 2015 (Bic). There are only two components for the BIC disposable razors which are the plastic body and razor blade. Kaplan, Desire. There are some solutions and new recycling ideas, yet, the reduction of waste for disposable razors is still far off. Polystyrene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene. 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 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). 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. The total amount of direct GHG emissions in 2016 was estimated at 8,689 teqCO2, i.e. Ann Fr Anesth Reanim 2006;25:8114, 7. 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. GaBi includes its own database containing life cycle inventories of processes such as polypropylene manufacturing, transportation, and landfill . Rogers, Tony. The following document provides an introductory overview of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and describes the general uses and major components of LCA. 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/. Experience spanning from the market-leading environment and climate practice of a global top 10 law firm - to leading Europe's largest . Information on PPO plastics are difficult to find, as most of the data is about how it is made, and the chemical makeup and stability of the plastic, rather than information on the decomposition rate or waste used in the making of it. 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. 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. The life cycle of plastics Life cycle assessment (LCA) considers the environmental aspects associated with a product over its lifespan. Most of those razors just end up in a landfill because most countries are not recycling them. 3. BIC put out a report detailing how they deal with the waste from their factories. Tungsten Carbide. Encyclopdia Britannica, Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc., 17 Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/tungsten-carbide. Then we collected and structured the data in phase 2. A new incentive must come for companies to be more sustainable with resources and create products that can still be cheap for the buyer, while also not taking a high cost on the environment.

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