There are land, air, and water-based transportation methods. It has been assumed that the packaging contains cardboard, even though it has been made from other natural fibres like bamboo, as there is no info on those materials in the Eco-Indicator tables. The largest sources of both cancer and noncancer impacts for the reusable LMA are from emissions from waste management (35%), the mining and production of metals to build wastewater treatment infrastructure (25%), and the bleaching of packaging paper and the card insert (20%). 2006 have considered a process water flow of 10,000 m3/day for a time period of 15 years (system design life) as the function unit used in order to compare the different wastewater treatment processes . Overcash M. Comparison of reusable and disposable medical textiles. A Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable Razors. In addition to traditional criteria for the selection and purchase of medical devices that include safety, efficacy, and cost, 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 product selection process. All of these equipment-related cases occurred before the routine implementation of sterilization procedures currently used in health care facilities. In this paper, life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used as a tool to quantify the environmental impacts of disposable medical face masks. Terracycle. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. BIC currently holds around 11 percent market share in disposable razors (Nash). Wolters Kluwer Health How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed? Chronicle, 20 Aug. 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/how-is-tungsten-carbide-formed/. The main causes of the reusable LMA's environmental impacts are the steam used in the autoclave sterilizing machine and, to a lesser extent, the wastewater generated from washing the LMAs. Anesth Analg 2004;99:6267, 17. 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). During production, two components have to be created which are the blade and the plastic body. Julabo Gmbh, et al. This liquid material is then injected into moulds, or extruded through moulds, where it will cool and take the form of the desired cartridge and handle shape. There are 3 key tasks in this step. 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. From mining and extracting the natural tungsten metal, to making the metal alloy and manufacturing just the blade, waste is released. The metal that can be used in the cartridge is also cut out during this stage. A life-cycle assessment or LCA is a 'cradle to grave' analysis of the impact of a manufactured product on the environment. 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. Data is temporarily unavailable. The human-health-related impact categories are pertinent to those developing standards for the delivery of health care. What Is Polystyrene? If all 2.6 billion of those razors each weight 8.8 grams, then the total amount of waste produced would be around 25,220 tonnes. 2011, Packaging Technology and Science. 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. Chu L, Mathur P, Trudell J, Brock-Utne J. 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. The EPA has now stopped tracking the: impact of disposable razors on the environment and has no update on the figure (Olsen). Flying staff to meetings, shipping, and distributing the product is the highest offender for the planet. Ans: (i) Significant growth in industry of super premium segment . Safety Razor.How Products Are Made, www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. 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. J Clin Anesth 1997;9:432, 20. The following document provides an introductory overview of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and describes the general uses and major components of LCA. 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). Reprints will not be available from the authors. These impacts are quantified here in terms of energy use, water use, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using general factors for US labor.22. 11 / Piece. The authors declare no conflict of interest. This document is an update and merger of two previous EPA documents on LCA ("Life Cycle Assessment: Inventory Guidelines and Principles," EPA/600/R-92/245, and "LCA101" from the LCAccess, website . 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. Tungsten carbide is a carbide compound, made up of equal parts of tungsten and carbon. 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 e-mail to [emailprotected]. Recycling of Polypropylene (PP). AZoCleantech.com, 25 June 2012, www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=240. On the other hand, extending the number of uses to 80 (doubling the lifetime) reduces GHG emissions by 9%. The blades are then carefully sharpened to create the razor blades. Uncertainties about the correctness of the model. climate change, summer smog, resource depletion, acidification, human health effects, etc. 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. 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. Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. At 20 reuse cycles,16 the results indicate an increase in emissions of nearly 20%. Rogers, Tony. Address correspondence to Jodi Sherman, MD, Yale University, School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, 333 Cedar Street, TMP3, New Haven, CT 06520. endstream endobj 752 0 obj <>stream The metal used for the razor blades is called Tungsten Carbide which is used in wear applications, such as shaving (Safety Razor). 2 offers from $9.92. The metal liquid then goes through a strengthening process called annealing. Facilities that select reusable devices should implement inventory and operating procedures that ensure that devices are reused to the greatest possible extent. 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. Reusable LMAs in general appear to be made largely of silicone, lacking these same concerns for PVC/DEHP. Swiss Center for Life Cycle Inventories. When you take your blades in to the scrap metal center, choose the steel recycling bin. 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 The total amount of Direct emissions from BIC factories was 8,689 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). After the end of their recommended lifetime, reusable LMAs were also placed in municipal solid waste containers. BIC is a French manufacturing company that produces a variety of disposable consumer products like pens, lighters and disposable razors. The study found that: A life-cycle inventory of cloth and disposable diapers was conducted based on diapering habits in Canada The parameters evaluated were energy consumption, water consumption, raw materials 15 Crop water use and water use efficiency on irrigated cotton farms in Australia S. Tennakoon, S. Milroy Environmental Science 2003 93 BIC reported that the weight of one of their most popular disposable razors is 8.8 grams (Shavers). The aim of this paper is to analyse substitutes to disposable plastic tableware using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. The biggest impact during the cartridge-based razor life-cycle is manufacturing the cartridge as this is the part which is hardest to make. They also reported how they dealt with their non-hazardous waste 76 percent was recycled, 11 percent incineration with energy recovery, 10 percent was sent to land disposal, and the remaining 3 percent was sent off for a different treatment (For You for Everyone Registration Document). disposable paper diaper; material recycling; closed-loop recycling; life cycle assessment (LCA) 1. Teoh W, Lim Y. What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal? AZoM.com, 2 Aug. 2009, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4827. Resources, Conservation & Recycling 156 (2020) 104704. However, it is fairly easy to find what the disposable razors components are made of, due to its simplicity. The tungsten carbide is then ground into an extremely fine powder in a wet mill process, where metal binders and other metals such as cobalt may be added to increase the metals strength and durability and to help hold the powder together when it is shaped. The cartridge-based razor had a slightly higher impact due to the rubber parts which cant be separated from the plastic body. 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. Contribution: This author helped conduct the study and analyze the data. Once in the landfill, it usually takes around 20-30 years to breakdown. Holes are then punched into the metal and the tapelike sheets of razors are then put in a roll (Manufacturing Processes). Life Cycle Assessment - definition & methodology. 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, It is also often not accepted in curbside recycling, and even when it is, it is not separated and recycled when it reaches the dumping station, making it an unsustainable and wasteful material (Polystyrene. Wikipedia.org). 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 However, we can discuss the energy usage of different modes of transportation. After the products are packaged, there has to be a way for them to get to the end consumer. Disposable razors are designed for consumers that prefer minimum spending . A complete life cycle cost analysis would complement the life cycle assessment results shown here; however, a simple analysis reveals that, assuming full utilization, a $200 reusable LMA costs $5 per use, plus $3 per cleaning for a unit cost of $8, excluding utility and hospital overhead costs. This manuscript was handled by: Steven L. Shafer, MD. London 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. CASE STUDY ANALYSIS - CLEAN EDGE, NON DISPOSABLE RAZOR Q1. 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). Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. Life Cycle Impact Assessment is the estimation of indicators of the environmental pressures in terms of e.g. Saudi J Anaesth 2008;2:58. (ii)Access paramount's competitive position? Now that we understand the key challenges with the razors, and where the biggest impacts are occurring, we can begin to make informed decisions in the redesign. 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 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. The metal is then quenched in water to bring it to -76 to -112 degrees Fahrenheit to harden the material (Safety Razor). 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. Contamination problems with reuse of laryngeal mask airways and laryngoscopes. The alternatives are objects made of bio compostable plastic,. The life cycle of plastics Life cycle assessment (LCA) considers the environmental aspects associated with a product over its lifespan. It can be used to study the environmental impact of either a product or the function the product is designed to perform. It is a thermoplastic that exhibits high heat resistance, dimensional stability, and accuracy and is often combined with other plastics, such as polystyrene, due to various problems in its processing (Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide, Wikipedia.org). After the reusable LMA was washed and dried, it was then placed into a heat seal pouch, made of polypropylene film and paper. Pollution of the oceans from plastics has become an increasingly large issue that researchers are still assessing. Int Anesthesiol Clin 2010;48:139, 24. In this case its much harder for me to carry out an LCA on a Gillette razor than if Gillette did the LCA themselves, as they would have all the correct info required first-hand (reducing the number of assumptions needing to be used). 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. Marinella Levi. 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. 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. Polystyrene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene. Part of this responsible shipping mentality forces them to change their packaging to be able to ship more at a time. 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. 2019, science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/polystyrene-recycling.htm. Each razor can last up to 12 gentle shaves. The differences in environmental impacts between these devices strongly favor reusable devices. The Great Recovery was a project by the RSA working with Innovate UK which ran between 2012 and 2016. Int J Life Cycle Assess 2001;6:7680, 13. xTkJ((5:Ome\%{yIlka;K=1 Ison E, Miller A. 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. From San Diego, both LMAs were assumed to be transported 4700 km by truck to New Haven, CT (70% of shipments in the US are made by truck).13. The final product is then gathered and prepared to go through the final step which is the packaging of razors. The more capital-intensive option of increasing the energy efficiency of the autoclave machines by 10% decreases GHG emissions by 8%. The LMA, within the heat seal pouch, was then placed in the steam autoclave sterilizing machine (Castle/Getinge MC 3522). Bic did have an increase in non-hazardous waste due to: expansion work or renovation of buildings or development of new products and manufacturing equipment (For You For Everyone: Registration Document, Bic) For carbon footprint assessments for large companies, they are assessed on direct (scope 1) emissions and indirect (scope 2) emissions of greenhouse gases. For You For Everyone: Registration Document.Bic World, Bic, 2016, www.bicworld.com/sites/default/files/2017-03/BIC_DRF2016_EN.pdf. There are some solutions and new recycling ideas, yet, the reduction of waste for disposable razors is still far off. Zhang TW, Dornfeld DA. A life cycle assessment or analysis according to ISO 14040/14044 is an instrument of environmental and sustainability management. 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. Please try after some time. What Is Polystyrene? 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. However, BIC did report some of its transportation statistics. 3.7.Product Life Cycle Analysis . The purpose of this assessment is to compare two different types of razors: cartridge based vs. double edge safety razor. Because of its high stability, PPO is a very widely used plastic for many different household items. %PDF-1.5 % Die Basics 101: Intro to Stamping. The Fabricators, 18 July 2018, www.thefabricator.com/thefabricator/article/stamping/die-basics-101-intro-to-stamping. They have teamed up with Gillette to raise awareness about the massive waste of disposable razors by allowing users to mail their old razors in to be recycled. And then there's the water. One of their most popular products is the disposable razor, which they started to manufacture in 1975. What makes for an easy, simple, and affordable mass produced and used product costs more in its long afterlife in the landfill, out of sight of the buyers awareness. After reaching the end of their useful lives, both LMAs and their respective packages entered waste management, which was modeled using US average statistics on recycling/composting, landfilling, and incineration.15 Although some incineration facilities also produce electricity, this credit is not included here. 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). The specific type or blend of plastic for BIC razors is used is called polystyrene (Europe). I could however not find any details about the energy consumption of the machines used in the assembly process. Click the image for pricing & more info. If you count the actual razor cover (if you haven't lost it long ago) then it will be four pieces for recycling. Poly(Phenylene Oxide). The Polymer Science Learning Center, www.pslc.ws/macrog/ppo.htm. One of the materials used is polypropylene, a thermoplastic addition polymer made from the combination of propylene monomers (Creative Mechanisms Staff, creativemechanisms.com). 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).