life cycle assessment of disposable razors
What Is Polystyrene? This is based on our Life Cycle Inventory flows from phase 2. #4. Highly effective in driving partnerships, public policies and projects that accelerate the shift towards a sustainable built environment. Eshwar Shop. Uncertainties about the correctness of the model. 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. The Eco-Indicator method is a tool developed to help designers conduct a simplified LCA study. Tungsten is a natural metal deposit that is found in metamorphic, and granitic igneous rocks, primarily in China, Russia, South Korea, South America, and the Rocky Mountains in the United States. The life cycle of plastics Life cycle assessment (LCA) considers the environmental aspects associated with a product over its lifespan. 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. This assessment is exceptionally useful as it shows the designer what areas are the most impactful during the products life cycle. Polypropylene is recyclable with the resin code of 5, which is its numbered identification code that is used to identify what resins plastic products are made of, and indicate how they are recycled. The designed short user-time of disposable razors, causes their life cycle to be spent mostly in the landfill where they will remain for hundreds of years due to non-biodegradable plastic, however, recycling the plastic and steel is possible if sent to specific recycling facilities, which could reduce the life cycle and negative impact on the environment. 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. Despite manufacturer-recommended cleaning processes, and various modifications thereof, proteinaceous material may remain on reusable LMAs.27 Of particular concern, these residues may expose patients to prions causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, CreutzfeldtJakob disease. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/cjd/qa_cjd_infection_control.htm. The steps in LCA are (1) goal and scope definition, (2) life cycle inventory analysis (LCI), (3) life cycle impact assessment (LCIA), and (4) interpretation of the results. They are resins that maintain a high dimensional stability, which helps create fast and cheap plastic razor handles (Safety Razor). This is shown through their commitment to their eco-design process and new recycling programs that are undergoing testing. Chu L, Mathur P, Trudell J, Brock-Utne J. In their study of Life cycle assessment of wastewater treatment technologies treating petroleum process waters, Vlaopolous et al. LCA for product sustainability. The metal used for the razor blades is called Tungsten Carbide which is used in wear applications, such as shaving (Safety Razor). Life Cycle Assessment of Reusable and Disposable Cleanroom Coveralls There are some solutions and new recycling ideas, yet, the reduction of waste for disposable razors is still far off. In the case of the disposable razor however, it is fairly simple due to its nature. Can J Anaesth 2001;48:40912, 22. A combination of transportation methods is used depending on where the product needs to go. 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. Recommendations for Infection Control for the Practice of Anesthesiology. LCA is the most common tool for quantifying the environmental effects associated with a product, process, or service's entire life (Baumann and Tillman 2004).LCA was performed in accordance with the international standards of the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 . This practice meets American Society of Anesthesiologists' recommendations for infection control for equipment requiring high-level disinfection.14. 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. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. BIC is a French manufacturing company that produces a variety of disposable consumer products like pens, lighters and disposable razors. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) Hazard Summary. 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. 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). Safety Razor.How Products Are Made, www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. The long and harmful life-cycle of disposable razors is not reflected to the buyer browsing aisles of fully stocked razor shelves. Such an analysis is commonly performed using life cycle assessment. Life Cycle Assessment - definition & methodology. The use of LCA to introduce life-cycle thinking into decision-making for the purchase of medical devices in the NHS. Put the blades in the steel recycling section. 2.Define the life-cycle With the recommended use of three to ten uses for disposable razors, they quickly end up in the landfill to decompose. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) | Sustainable Agriculture Research The carbon alloy allows for the metal to be strong enough to be exposed to high levels of moisture without corroding, yet brittle enough to be made into thin blades for a multiple blade razor (Safety Razor). Packaging is an . All of which provides an easy user experience, but, takes a toll on the planet. (ii)Access paramount's competitive position? Once Terracycle has collected the waste, it is: broken down and separated by material. The LMAs were first rinsed in tap water, scrubbed externally with a Hibiclens sponge and internally with a small scrub brush, and rinsed again. It has a low density and is quite flexible and heat resistant, therefore making it an easily moulded and extruded material. 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. 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. 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. In 2016, Bic reduced packaging for their Soleil Razor by 40%. Both were assumed to be transported to Los Angeles, CA, by container ship, and from there by truck to the company distribution center in San Diego, CA. This is where most of the complexity of an LCA is involved. 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. Innovative and strategic advisor to leading philanthropies, corporates, governments, international institutions and NGOs. Zhang TW, Dornfeld DA. What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal? AZoM.com, 2 Aug. 2009, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4827. 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. 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. These results suggest that the reusable LMA Classic has fewer life cycle impacts in comparison with the disposable LMA Unique at Yale New Haven Hospital, across several categories of concern. These benefits must be weighed against concerns regarding transmission of infection. Online Course Life Cycle Assessment | MIT Professional Education Anaesthesia 2000;55:7001, 18. : Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts.ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 17 June 2019, www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/. Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2002, 26. The razors are mainly made of plastic, so they will be decomposing at a very slow rate in the landfill. Life Cycle Assessment and Costing Methods for Device - PubMed There are three main components in a disposable razor. 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. An estimated 1 L of tap water was used to wash and rinse 1 LMA (or 40 L over a lifetime of 40 uses). Life-cycle assessment - Ways of reducing the use of resources - AQA All of these software packages and models are in widespread use by life cycle assessment practitioners in the US and internationally. 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. There are 3 key tasks in this step. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a modeling tool for quantifying the environmental impacts of products and processes. %%EOF Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) - A Complete Guide to LCAs Disposable and reusable LMAs typically differ in material composition, packaging, reuse, and cost. (PDF) Sources, Fate and Effects of Microplastics in the Marine Safety Razor. How Products Are Made, www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. Disposable Blood Warmer Market 2023-2030 Future Forecasts Atlanta, 2012. 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). Overcash M. Comparison of reusable and disposable medical textiles. A Comparison Life Cycle Assessment between Razor Blade and Electric Shaver. Dec. 2012. What Is Tungsten Carbide?" Recycling of Polypropylene (PP). AZoCleantech.com, 25 June 2012, www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=240. The LMA was then dried with a cotton towel. BIC has done their best to deal with waste in an environmentally conscious manner. Reprints will not be available from the authors. The reusable LMA was found to have a more favorable environmental profile than the disposable LMA as used at Yale New Haven Hospital. Int Anesthesiol Clin 2010;48:139, 24. LCA can be used to compare alternative products, processes or services; compare alternative life cycles for a certain product . After getting the sharpened blade they are coated with a thin film to allows them to not lose sharpness after only a few shaves (Manufacturing Processes). Life cycle assessment Plastics Europe The disposable LMA consisted largely of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and the reusable LMA consisted primarily of silicone. It is used in razor manufacturing mainly due to its high heat and water resistance, making it ideal for the conditions the product is used in. 1. BIC is voicing their concern about the environmental impact that their large production goals can have. The high levels of pollution from disposable razor blades alone caused the EPA to claim a national garbage crisis in the late 1980s, and the actual figure of 2 billion razors thrown away every year dates back to the 1990s.