life cycle assessment of disposable razorslife cycle assessment of disposable razors

Highly effective in driving partnerships, public policies and projects that accelerate the shift towards a sustainable built environment. Your message has been successfully sent to your colleague. Wolters Kluwer Health The body of both razors had similar impact as their weights were also quite similar. Several clinical trials comparing function and ease of placement demonstrated no significant difference between disposable and reusable versions,25 allowing hospitals to base purchase decisions on economic considerations alone. In conclusion, disposable razors are being used and thrown away at a rate that is unsustainable for the finite space on the planet. 769 0 obj <>stream endstream endobj 752 0 obj <>stream U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In this case its the life-cycle of the cartridge-based razor. How Does Polystyrene Recycling Work?HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 4 Apr. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2009;53:6878, 19. CASE STUDY ANALYSIS - CLEAN EDGE, NON DISPOSABLE RAZOR Q1. The indirect emissions were mostly from the electricity use in the factories. 2011, Packaging Technology and Science. Impact Assessment. Once the plastic has cooled, the pieces are released from the moulds. 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. After the products are packaged, there has to be a way for them to get to the end consumer. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a modeling tool for quantifying the environmental impacts of products and processes. Some error has occurred while processing your request. Questions and Answers: CreutzfeldtJakob Disease Infection-Control Practices. 3. 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 product fails to include proper instructions for its waste management, causing it to be disposed of, as the name suggests. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method used to estimate the total environmental impacts from producing a good or service. A Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable Razors. Facilities that select reusable devices should implement inventory and operating procedures that ensure that devices are reused to the greatest possible extent. All of these equipment-related cases occurred before the routine implementation of sterilization procedures currently used in health care facilities. 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. 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. 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.). Holes are then punched into the metal and the tapelike sheets of razors are then put in a roll (Manufacturing Processes). Any extra plastic will be discarded, remelted, and reused (Safety Razor, madehow.com). Contribution: This author helped conduct the study and analyze the data. This is where most of the complexity of an LCA is involved. With the results we supply the basis for strategic decisions for sustainable action. The data collected through LCA helps organizations make conscious decisions that affect the environment. The buyer online is not exposed to the long lasting waste of the razors after they are thrown out. Contribution: This author helped design the study and prepare the manuscript. In 2016, Bic reduced packaging for their Soleil Razor by 40%. However, BIC did report some of its transportation statistics. 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. Alternate assumptions were used to test model sensitivity and to create bounds to aid interpretation of the results (Table 2). Differences in environmental impacts between devices may present a compelling consideration in their selection. Pollution of the oceans from plastics has become an increasingly large issue that researchers are still assessing. An LCA is an accounting of the inputs and outputs for a product system, beginning with extraction of raw materials from the earth and continuing through all of the steps of transportation, manufacturing, product fabrication, product use, and end-of-life, which may include reuse, recycling . Choosing a less-green disposable will magnify your razor's manufacturing impact, but it won't change the overall picture very much. The Bic USAs company website provides information about the making of the razors in the factories, regarding their inspection and factory standards, yet there is no mention for the environmental impact of the disposal. A combination of transportation methods is used depending on where the product needs to go. In landfilling or incinerating this part, the large amount of energy and material value used in creating it is lost. Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2002, 26. Additionally, the PVC-dominated material composition of the disposable LMA and associated packaging added significantly to its impacts. Flying staff to meetings, shipping, and distributing the product is the highest offender for the planet. The Eco-Indicator method is a tool developed to help designers conduct a simplified LCA study. The cheap price of the razor does not reflect the high cost of its waste and impact on the environment. a 4.1% (Bic). @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 . Conversely, impacts can be reduced by autoclaving more LMAs at once or with other equipment with similar decontamination requirements. 39 ($0.37/Count) FREE delivery Thu, Mar 2 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon. The metal must be mined and extracted from the mountain causing an emission of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases (Wang). 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). The 2 LMA options are nearly equivalent in terms of eutrophication impacts, but with different contributions. Contribution: This author helped design the study, analyze the data, and prepare the manuscript. 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 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. Each razor can last up to 12 gentle shaves. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of Transportation, 2002, 14. 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. 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. In order to carry out the Eco-Indicator analysis method, the methodology described below has to be followed: 1.Establish the purpose of the Eco-Indicator calculations 2.Define the life-cycle 3.Quantify the materials and processes 4.Complete the form 5.Interpret and analyse the results These results will then be used to inform the design process and improve the redesigned razor. WC2N 6EZ, Redesigning the razor Life Cycle Assessment. 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. Disposable razors are a commonly used item for most Americans, and over two billion razors are thrown away every year in the United States (Shabecoff). However, the LCA is not an exact science and has its limitations: After the products make their way to consumers and serve their purpose, the waste must be dealt with. The company reported that with their hazardous waste in 2016 11 percent was recycled, 49 percent incinerated with energy recovery, 8 percent sent to land disposal, and 32 percent was sent off to be treated in another way (For You for Everyone Registration Document). 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). This means that it takes around 1 BTU to heat a 0.035-ounce razor blade to the desired temperature (Julabo et.al). The LMAs were first rinsed in tap water, scrubbed externally with a Hibiclens sponge and internally with a small scrub brush, and rinsed again. Cad M, Webb T, Bjorksten A. 4. 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. 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). 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/. BIC states that it prides itself on producing affordable, safe, and quality razors for its customers worldwide. Once in the landfill, it usually takes around 20-30 years to breakdown. What does a business area's assessment of agreements, income, and value implicate? 6,474. 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. 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). Anaesthesia 2007;62:3814, 5. van Zundert AAJ, Fonck K, Al-Shaikh B, Mortier E. Comparison of the LMA-Classic with the new disposable soft seal laryngeal mask in spontaneously breathing adult patients. For me, I had a few extra bits of plastic that I snapped off because they . to maintaining your privacy and will not share your personal information without This manuscript was handled by: Steven L. Shafer, MD. Reprints will not be available from the authors. Anyone can send in razors of any kind, and the plastic and cardboard packaging as well. 3. 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. Goodman EJ, Haas AJ. 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). Experience spanning from the market-leading environment and climate practice of a global top 10 law firm - to leading Europe's largest . The alternatives are objects made of bio compostable plastic,. The full life cycle environmental impacts can be challenging to model, because modern production "pathways" can involve numerous interacting technologies, each of which can consume materials and energy that are themselves products of complex production processes. To begin the process of creating the razor blades, tungsten carbide, which is the metal that the blades and other optional components are made of, must first be manufactured. Ison E, Miller A. 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. In this paper, many details about the life cycle stages were not included. After the reusable LMA was washed and dried, it was then placed into a heat seal pouch, made of polypropylene film and paper. However, it is fairly easy to find what the disposable razors components are made of, due to its simplicity. If the reusable LMA is discarded prematurely, e.g., after 20 uses,16 the unit cost increases to $13 per unit, but decreases to $5.50 if the lifetime can be extended to 80 uses. These are the reasons why I will carry out an Eco-Indicator Assessment instead of a full LCA. Interpretation of results The last step in the process is to interpret the results and compare them against each other. Their disposable nature causes them to be put into landfills faster than it takes them to be made, packaged, and shipped. The long and harmful life-cycle of disposable razors is not reflected to the buyer browsing aisles of fully stocked razor shelves. GaBi is a LCA software that allows its users to connect environmental impacts to a product across its lifespan. DEHP is a plasticizer routinely added to impart flexibility to PVC-based products, such as IV bags, tubing, and endotracheal tubes. The metal is heated to a temperature of 1967-2048 degrees Fahrenheit and tungsten carbide has a specific heat of 0.226 BTU/lb/Fahrenheit (Safety razor). LMA North America. The LCA is broken into four stages: Defining the goal and scope how much of a product's lifecycle will be addressed, the reasons for carrying out the assessment, the intended audience, and the intended end-use [] 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). The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Terracycle is a company that was created to address the issue of recyclable products that often end up in landfills. The final product is then gathered and prepared to go through the final step which is the packaging of razors. Applying this method of assessment is complex and difficult and translating the theory into a . 1.Establish the purpose of the Eco-Indicator calculations Anaesthesia 2000;55:7001, 18. Chain Management by Life Cycle Assessment (CMLCA) software has been used to conduct the LCA and Ecoinvent 2.01 has been used for life cycle inventory data. Ann Fr Anesth Reanim 2006;25:8114, 7. Reusable LMAs were collected in a dirty device bin on the anesthesia cart and then reprocessed by the anesthesia technicians. Safety Razor. How Products Are Made www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. The unit cost of disposable LMAs is 20% higher at approximately $9.60 per unit. 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 use of disposable razors is unsustainable with our growing population and increased demand. 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. In their study of Life cycle assessment of wastewater treatment technologies treating petroleum process waters, Vlaopolous et al. Anesth Analg 2012;114:105566, 8. Manufacturer specifications indicate 20 kWh of electricity use for a 5-minute cycle at 135C. For waste management, switching from 100% incineration to 100% landfilling typically reduced impacts across all categories by 5%10%, with the national average scenario results decreasing in between. The high waste from manufacturing and shipping such a small, and cheap product is one that is negatively impacting the planet. 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 company urges users to mail packages over 15 lbs., in order to reduce the waste of mail as well, yet is not necessary. Our team of experts has many years of experience in the ecological evaluation of products and services. The Great Recovery was a project by the RSA working with Innovate UK which ran between 2012 and 2016. 45. 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). 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. Buy Now. Sustainable Development at BIC . 6 Jan. 2011. 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. Tungsten Carbide. Encyclopdia Britannica, Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc., 17 Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/tungsten-carbide. Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide). Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(p-phenylene_oxide). The alloy must allow for easy manufacturing due to the high demand of disposable razors and enough strength to last through transportation and shelf holding. What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal? AZoM.com, 2 Aug. 2009, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4827. The study found that: hbbd``b`z$k@D Anesth Analg 1998;87:921, 3. 2 offers from $9.92. After the parts are manufactured it is time for the final product assembly. "Tungsten Processing." Disposable razors are a product that can be found in almost any average bathroom. 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. BIC has done their best to deal with waste in an environmentally conscious manner. Overview. Here, Great Recovery Intern Sebastian de Cabo Portugal discusses Life Cycle Assessments. A SYSTEMATIC METHODOLOGY FOR ACCURATE DESIGN-STAGE ESTIMATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR INJECTION MOLDED PARTS. Each year in Italy, millions of tons of fruits and vegetables are harvested, packed and transported to national and foreign retail outlets. Another material used is polystyrene. Packaging is an . A comparative cradle to grave life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine and analyze the environmental impacts of using disposable acrylic speculums versus using reusable stainless-steel speculums in a women's university health clinic where around 5,000 pelvic exams are conducted on a yearly basis. London The differences in environmental impacts between these devices may present a compelling consideration in device selection when concern for infection transmission is not a factor. 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. The Eco-Indicator for EPDM rubber includes the manufacturing of the rubber as well as the molding process. The alloy is strong enough to resist moisture for a short time in the buyers shower, yet, in the landfill, it does eventually rust and decompose. A Comparison Life Cycle Assessment between Razor Blade and Electric Shaver. Dec. 2012. For both environmental and cost considerations, management and operating procedures should be put in place to ensure that reusable LMAs are not discarded prematurely. 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). We are proud that it is among the leading professional LCA software . 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. :396?Qkt)e. Steel Life Cycle.SSAB, www.ssab.com/company/sustainability/sustainable-offering/steel-life-cycle?di=discover21C927E58ECC41198B78D915F7E3E2AF. Life-cycle assessment stages 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. SimaPro is our flagship product: life cycle assessment software that gives sustainability experts, product designers and decision-makers the power to gain insight into the environmental performance of products and services, to define hotspots and to drive positive change. What Is Polystyrene? LCA's are completed particularly in relation to how to develop a sustainable world where less waste and more reuse is implemented. 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.
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