: Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts.ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 17 June 2019, www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/. 2. Previous studies have examined the relative environmental profiles of reusables and disposables with regard to medical textiles7 and anesthetic drug trays.8 The present study uses life cycle assessment to evaluate the life cycle impacts of disposable and reusable LMAs across several categories of environmental and human health impacts. 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. Please try again soon. 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). 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. Contribution: This author helped design the study, analyze the data, and prepare the manuscript. 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). Highly effective in driving partnerships, public policies and projects that accelerate the shift towards a sustainable built environment. 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. The alternatives are objects made of bio compostable plastic,. The Bic Razor, Still the Sharpest of the Bunch. Plastics Le Mag, 31 Jan. 2017, plastics-themag.com/The-Bic-razor-still-the-sharpest-of-the-bunch. It is at this stage that very small amounts of other metals such as iron, silicon, and chromium may be added to the carbide to increase its strength and durability. Each razor can last up to 12 gentle shaves. Waste is not only a problem when a product is disposed of, but also when it is initially manufactured. Of course the 2.6 billion razors were not, all the same, however, we can still give a ballpark estimate of how many tonnes of plastic/metal waste is being produced every year. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) measures the impact of products on the environment. Life of a Razor Blade - GreatRazors.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. This means that it takes around 1 BTU to heat a 0.035-ounce razor blade to the desired temperature (Julabo et.al). Saudi J Anaesth 2008;2:58. Overall, while the materials for disposable razors are few, and the products basic design makes it appear simplistic, the products lifecycle is far from simple. Lv, Andrea Lind, and Tigist Fetene. The product fails to include proper instructions for its waste management, causing it to be disposed of, as the name suggests. Contamination problems with reuse of laryngeal mask airways and laryngoscopes. During production, two components have to be created which are the blade and the plastic body. Polypropylene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene. (PDF) Comparative life cycle analysis of disposable and reusable The environmental effects of labor are often omitted from life cycle assessment studies, but are included here as part of the sensitivity analysis. The next step in the process is the assembly of all the parts. xTkJ((5:Ome\%{yIlka;K=1 21 offers from $5.20. In this paper, this will be exactly what we will discuss, from what materials go into making a disposable razor and how they are made, to what happens to it after its tossed out, and all the energy and waste that is used and expelled throughout its lifecycle. Part of this responsible shipping mentality forces them to change their packaging to be able to ship more at a time. The life cycle for disposable razors must first be assessed by the products design. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology to assess the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its life - from raw material extraction, manufacture and use, to end-of-life disposal, recycling or reuse. Features Downloads. Because of its high stability, PPO is a very widely used plastic for many different household items. The cheap price of the razor does not reflect the high cost of its waste and impact on the environment. These containers, mainly wooden pallets and spools, are subject to European legislat Disposable Blood Warmer Market 2023-2030 Future Forecasts Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. Several waste management scenarios were also considered, including 100% landfilling and 100% incineration, because practices are highly location dependent. Research and Innovative Technology Administration. Polystyrene is a naturally transparent thermoplastic that is available as both a typical solid plastic as well in the form of a rigid foam material (Rodgers, Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS).). Life Cycle Assessments - Diaper Answers The biggest impact during the cartridge-based razor life-cycle is manufacturing the cartridge as this is the part which is hardest to make. BIC Group, 2016, Sustainable Development Report. Certain practices would further reduce the environmental impacts of reusable LMAs, such as increasing the number of devices autoclaved in a single cycle to 10 (25% GHG emissions) and improving the energy efficiency of the autoclaving machines by 10% (8% GHG emissions). Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide). Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(p-phenylene_oxide). At 20 reuse cycles,16 the results indicate an increase in emissions of nearly 20%. 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. One of the materials used is polypropylene, a thermoplastic addition polymer made from the combination of propylene monomers (Creative Mechanisms Staff, creativemechanisms.com). The results also suggest effective procurement strategies for reducing the impacts of disposable LMAs where they are selected. The original LMA was a reusable device (Intavent International SA, Henley-on-Thames, UK). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Here, Great Recovery Intern Sebastian de Cabo Portugal discusses Life Cycle Assessments. Life Cycle Assessment: Biopharma SUTs - BioProcess Introduction Paper diapers are roughly divided into two types: those for infants and those for adults. Park Ridge, IL: American Society of Anesthesiologists, 1999, 15. Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2002, 26. h[K#1}\$u@ The EPA has said in their 2014 report: Currently, little information is available about the fate and transport of tungsten in the environment and its effects on human health. 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. 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. The life cycle of plastics Life cycle assessment (LCA) considers the environmental aspects associated with a product over its lifespan. Product Ecology (PR) Consultants. A SYSTEMATIC METHODOLOGY FOR ACCURATE DESIGN-STAGE ESTIMATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR INJECTION MOLDED PARTS. Finally, the assessment will be carried out on the new design to assess if it has a lower impact than the other options analysed. 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. 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). Poly(Phenylene Oxide). The Polymer Science Learning Center, www.pslc.ws/macrog/ppo.htm. Land transport like trains and trucks use diesel as fuel and that produced 138,700 BTU (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). Wages are then spent on food, entertainment, transport, and other economic activities that themselves have environmental impacts. There is uncertainty in several model assumptions. Redesigning the razor - Life Cycle Assessment - Great Recovery The GTG LCIs are added together to give a cradle-to-gate (CTG) life cycle inventory . With the amount of waste accumulated from the factories and the bulk of the razors ending up in landfills and oceans, a low price of $1 removes the buyer from how high the cost on the environment a disposable razor is. My next blog post will show some design recommendations using sketches and 3D-printed prototypes. To compile a detailed life cycle inventory of the environmental burdens The blades are then carefully sharpened to create the razor blades. The environmental impacts of the 2 LMAs were estimated using SimaPro life cycle assessment software and the Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability impact assessment method. Technical Fact Sheet-Tungsten.Technical Fact Sheet- Tungsten, EPA, Jan. 2014, www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-03/documents/ffrrofactsheet_contaminant_tungsten_january2014_final.pdf. In the late 1990s, disposable LMAs became available. Marvel Product Razor Lady Body Shaver Disposable Razore. Europe, Plastic News. mmw*vA|5v*3n9IUt){e%!HN6@` xcr@pz*Fbiq%1!TJ-CF*1OS|UZU\vQL7M?m'b-,r~S}Y&/{#U6U)S|%q[RB !3j~tj$h>5qtsJ./j?;eosyy*"Z`'wG"M6]O}UKqw[LzY9e B,s&C4++_tI~& Me*lNU"Uigq\u7{:&VNC'rT]FB5jOa.%N%1*stBC]%y&RDs"#&iUX&?8sh:wJo ZjbO|KFmfC{:oX~'b> The final product is then gathered and prepared to go through the final step which is the packaging of razors. What Is Polystyrene? Choosing a less-green disposable will magnify your razor's manufacturing impact, but it won't change the overall picture very much. The unit cost of disposable LMAs is 20% higher at approximately $9.60 per unit. 15 - 21 Our group recently performed a life cycle assessment of anesthetic drug trays, finding that reusable trays were both environmentally and . 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. Figure: Life Cycle Assessment steps: goal and scope definition, life cycle inventory, life cycle impact assessment and interpretation (Sala et al., 2016) In the goal and scope phase, the aims of the study are defined, namely the intended application, the reasons for carrying out the study and the intended audience. They have also reduced shipping time, by only sending the blades from Greece to Mexico to optimize the tools and products available in each location, instead of having all the materials shipped to each factory. BIC Comfort 3 Refillable Three-Blade Disposable Razors for Men, Sensitive Skin Razor for a Comfortable Shave, 1 Handle and 12 Cartridges With 3 Blades, 13 Piece Razor Kit. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Your message has been successfully sent to your colleague. Properties: Tungsten Carbide-An Overview. AZoM.com, 25 Nov. 2019, www.azom.com/properties.aspx?ArticleID=1203. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 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. Pollution of the oceans from plastics has become an increasingly large issue that researchers are still assessing. How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed? Chronicle, 20 Aug. 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/how-is-tungsten-carbide-formed/. GaBi is a LCA software that allows its users to connect environmental impacts to a product across its lifespan. This study assumed no difference between the devices in terms of clinical efficacy or time for placement.4 Disposable LMAs were discarded in regular municipal solid waste bins after use. In conclusion, disposable razors are being used and thrown away at a rate that is unsustainable for the finite space on the planet. Properly following the instructions it should (hopefully) leave you with three pieces, the handle, the metal blade, the plastic that was covering the blade. Clean Edge, Non Disposable razor case study analysis - SlideShare The body of both razors had similar impact as their weights were also quite similar. endstream endobj 752 0 obj <>stream 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). A 2005 analysis published by U.K. Main methodological choices . 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%. A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Packaging for the Distribution of Italian Fruit and Vegetables. Click the image for pricing & more info. 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. Eshwar Shop. qILL@#nO @8 11 / Piece. By not using air travel and transport, BIC greatly reduces their energy usage and carbon footprint at the same time. These results will then be used to inform the design process and improve the redesigned razor. Whereas transportation has a relatively significant GHG impact for the disposable LMAs, by comparison the transportation of reusable LMAs has little impact on GHG emissions, because 40 disposable LMAs must be shipped to provide an equivalent function to 1 reusable LMA. Production of razor blades across the industry is fairly standard. 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. In phase 3, we evaluate how significant the impacts are. 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 Safety Assessment of Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) Released from PVC Medical Devices. 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. This manuscript was handled by: Steven L. Shafer, MD. . The total amount of Direct emissions from BIC factories was 8,689 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). This is based on our Life Cycle Inventory flows from phase 2. 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. In this process, the metal is heated to temperatures of 1,967-2,048F (1,075-1,120C), then quenched in water to a temperature between -76- -112 F (-60- -80 C) to harden it. Life Cycle Assessment and Costing Methods for Device - PubMed Define the Life-cycle This is an example of a simple product life-cycle diagram. Complete with an ergonomic shaped non-slip rubber handle for great control and maneuverability and easy rinse blades for 100% better rinsing (vs . Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a modeling tool for quantifying the environmental impacts of products and processes. 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. Cargo planes and other transport aircraft use jet fuel which produces 135,000 BTU per gallon (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). Once all the components of the razor have been made, the components go to various stations where different tasks will be performed. In the case of the disposable razor however, it is fairly simple due to its nature. 3. Applying this method of assessment is complex and difficult and translating the theory into a . BIC currently holds around 11 percent market share in disposable razors (Nash). After the plastic body is manufactured it goes through inspections similar to ones the blades go through. The Great Recovery was a project by the RSA working with Innovate UK which ran between 2012 and 2016. 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. Safety Razor.How Products Are Made, www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. 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. Its an extremely strong and durable metal compound, making it perfect for the use of razor blades (Siddle, How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?; Tungsten Carbide. Wikipedia.org). Each time the steam autoclave machine conducts a sterilizing cycle, a large amount of energy is used to heat the steam. Choosing models that use alternate materials is recommended, particularly because the American Medical Association is urging hospitals and health systems to reduce their use of PVC products, especially those containing DEHP.26 The shipment of LMAs by air also greatly increased overall impacts, pointing to a strategy of bulk ordering from local distributors well in advance of use, and avoiding overnight shipment whenever possible.
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