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Comparison of disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways in spontaneously ventilating 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. The mixed plastics used in most of the razor take hundreds of years to break down in landfill, and the blades, while the metal is recyclable if separated from the rest of the product, poses a safety hazard for both the consumer and the employees who handle recyclables. Sustainable Development at BIC . 6 Jan. 2011. 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. Such an analysis is commonly performed using life cycle assessment. The largest source of GHG emissions for the disposable LMAs (23%) is the production and polymerization of PVC, the main material constituent. Disposable BIC razors are hollow and made using injection molding, but making the razors hollow is only possible because of the fluid nature of polystyrene (The Bic Razor, Still the Sharpest of the Bunch.). Please try again soon. 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. A Comparison Life Cycle Assessment between Razor Blade and Electric Shaver. Dec. 2012. A Life Cycle Assessment is the systematic analysis of the environmental impact of products during their entire life cycle. What Is Tungsten Carbide?" The high waste from manufacturing and shipping such a small, and cheap product is one that is negatively impacting the planet. 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. Once the plastic has cooled, the pieces are released from the moulds. All of these software packages and models are in widespread use by life cycle assessment practitioners in the US and internationally. Data Uncertainty. By not using air travel and transport, BIC greatly reduces their energy usage and carbon footprint at the same time. Here's How to Keep Your Razors from Contributing to Landfill Waste. USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 7 Aug. 2019, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/07/landfill-waste-how-prevent-disposable-razor-plastic-pollution/1943345001/. Sustainable Development Report. What Is Polystyrene? On the other hand, extending the number of uses to 80 (doubling the lifetime) reduces GHG emissions by 9%. Innovative and strategic advisor to leading philanthropies, corporates, governments, international institutions and NGOs. The metal is then quenched in water to bring it to -76 to -112 degrees Fahrenheit to harden the material (Safety Razor). 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). To begin the process of making tungsten carbide, the tungsten must first be extracted. Most of those razors just end up in a landfill because most countries are not recycling them. On the Venus Gillette company website, they provide the buyer with a guide for choosing which razor is best by asking: When it comes to choosing a razor, how do you know if a disposable or reusable razor is right for you? (What's the Difference Between Disposable and Reusable Razors for Women? Venus)This question, however, only affects the buyers short usage time, and does not provide any information as to the rest of the razors life-cycle after they are ready for a new razor blade and they: throw away the entire razor and grab a new one as recommended by the manufacturer (Venus). 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. 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 Eco-Indicator for EPDM rubber includes the manufacturing of the rubber as well as the molding process. Gillette Razor Local Recycling Solutions.TerraCycle, www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/gillette-local-recycling. Anesth Analg 1993;77:1079, 21. The plastic and steel elements of the razor can be recycled, yet, because they are so lightweight and small it makes it hard to separate in the trash and unable to be recycled normally. 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). Cad M, Webb T, Bjorksten A. Impact Assessment. BIC has repeatedly come under fire because of the environmental impact their disposable razors have, due to the sheer amount of their disposable products are used every year. But this is expected from a large brand like Gillette. Bics direct emissions were from: a combustion of fossil fuels, primarily natural gas and fuel oil, mainly used to heat buildings. One of the materials used is polypropylene, a thermoplastic addition polymer made from the combination of propylene monomers (Creative Mechanisms Staff, creativemechanisms.com). The original LMA was a reusable device (Intavent International SA, Henley-on-Thames, UK). Anaesth Intensive Care 2010;38:538, 9. 2.Define the life-cycle Therefore, to help designers get started and make informed decisions, a Life cycle Analysis (LCA) can be carried out using the information gathered during the research stage. However, they also affirmed that they strive to make their products with an eco-design approach by using recycled materials or bioplastics in their different products (For You for Everyone Registration Document). Can J Anaesth 2001;48:40912, 22. Manufacturing Processes (RAZOR): KAI FACTORY: KAI Group.KAI FACTORY | KAI Group, www.kai-group.com/global/en/kai-factory/process/razor/. . 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. 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. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a framework for assessing the environmental impacts of product systems and decisions. But what really goes into making one of these seemingly mundane disposable razors and what happens to it after its tossed in the trash? Complete with an ergonomic shaped non-slip rubber handle for great control and maneuverability and easy rinse blades for 100% better rinsing (vs . Safety Razor. How Products Are Made www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. The hardest part of this whole process is the data gathering. The company urges users to mail packages over 15 lbs., in order to reduce the waste of mail as well, yet is not necessary. However, we can discuss the energy usage of different modes of transportation. This is the fourth installment in a series of blogs in which weexplore how to design a product for circularity. The total amount of indirect emissions was 89,762 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). The buyer online is not exposed to the long lasting waste of the razors after they are thrown out. After the reusable LMA was washed and dried, it was then placed into a heat seal pouch, made of polypropylene film and paper. E.P.A. These results will then be used to inform the design process and improve the redesigned razor. It is used to assist companies, consumers, and policy-makers in greening their practices and decisions. climate change, summer smog, resource depletion, acidification, human health effects, etc. Materials were matched with appropriate life cycle inventory records from the ecoinvent database.11 Injection molding was assumed for the hard plastic pieces (polycarbonate and ABS plastic) and thermoforming for the softer plastics (silicone, polypropylene, and PVC). Plastics are cleaned and pelletized to be recycled into new products, such as picnic tables and park benches. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. The purpose of this assessment is to compare two different types of razors: cartridge based vs. double edge safety razor. Additionally, the PVC-dominated material composition of the disposable LMA and associated packaging added significantly to its impacts. These containers, mainly wooden pallets and spools, are subject to European legislat What IS Life Cycle Assessment? Lippiatt BC, Boyles AS. Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation. Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation | Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, www.bts.gov/content/energy-consumption-mode-transportation. 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. The life cycle for disposable razors must first be assessed by the products design. 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). So, while this solution is not an easy fix, as it would require buyers to save their own waste, it does provide an alternative to the disposable razor waste crisis. The human-health-related impact categories are pertinent to those developing standards for the delivery of health care. Health care facilities can decrease their environmental impacts by using reusable LMAs, by selecting disposable LMA models that are not made of certain plastics, and by ordering in bulk from local distributors. 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. Resources, Conservation & Recycling 156 (2020) 104704. This LCA is specific for surgical gowns used in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota. The majority of life cycle human health impacts of disposable LMAs are caused by PVC use in packaging and the device itself. Gillette's slogan 'Gillette - the best a man can get' is famous the world over. Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS).Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS), www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/polystyrene-ps-plastic. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of Transportation, 2002, 14. your express consent. The natural half life of a large stock of reusable laryngeal mask airways at a teaching hospital. BIC reported that every year around 2.6 billion of their razors are chosen by consumers every year (Shaver's). The Bic corporation considers their environmental impact and takes steps to reduce as much waste as possible. Powers, Matt, and Amanda M. Can You Recycle Disposable Razors? Earth911.Com, 30 July 2019, earth911.com/living-well-being/health/can-you-recycle-disposable-razors/. 761 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[748 22]/Info 747 0 R/Length 72/Prev 421064/Root 749 0 R/Size 770/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Tungsten carbide is a carbide compound, made up of equal parts of tungsten and carbon. GaBi includes its own database containing life cycle inventories of processes such as polypropylene manufacturing, transportation, and landfill . Product Ecology (PR) Consultants. This break-even point will change depending on the category of environmental impact being considered. Marinella Levi. Once in the landfill, it usually takes around 20-30 years to breakdown. Reusable LMAs in general appear to be made largely of silicone, lacking these same concerns for PVC/DEHP. 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. By raising awareness and creating locations where one can drop off used razors for recycling, perhaps a change can come. 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. @article{Cordella2015EvolutionOD, title={Evolution of disposable baby diapers in Europe: life cycle assessment of environmental impacts and identification of key areas of improvement}, author={Mauro Cordella and Iris Bauer and Anja Lehmann and Matthias Schulz and Oliver Wolf}, journal={Journal of Cleaner Production}, year={2015}, volume={95 . It has been assumed that the only part recycled at the end of life is the packaging. Life-cycle assessment stages Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. Packaging is an . The Nation's Freight: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. These few simple materials go through processes of heating, cooling, moulding, cutting, and sharpening throughout their manufacturing process to eventually become the handle, razor blades, and blade cartridge, that will then be assembled to become a disposable razor. The total amount of direct GHG emissions in 2016 was estimated at 8,689 teqCO2, i.e. 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. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. Biron, Michel. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) is where the impacts on the environment are calculated. LCA's are completed particularly in relation to how to develop a sustainable world where less waste and more reuse is implemented. 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.