life cycle assessment of disposable razors

Camera visual inspection is performed and This is all to ensure BICs quality standards are being met and ensure a quality product. 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. DEHP leaches out upon exposure to heat and lipids, as would be the case in contact with mucous membranes. 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 This break-even point will change depending on the category of environmental impact being considered. Case Studies. Case Studies : Reducing BIC's Rejection Rates | KEYENCE America, www.keyence.com/solutions/case-studies/bic.jsp. Several waste management scenarios were also considered, including 100% landfilling and 100% incineration, because practices are highly location dependent. Our team of experts has many years of experience in the ecological evaluation of products and services. Highlights 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).). hb```X ea i:=3*?a_.k7#uq-u[JRP erle@@)`EkP;~ cdC58xiv06@Jup E The newest effort to recycle disposable razors is being done in France by BIC, but the company has said that they do not plan on unveiling a recycling program anywhere else yet (Powers). (PDF) Sources, Fate and Effects of Microplastics in the Marine 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 An LCA is a life cycle assessment which is completed through research, testing and understanding of the environmental impacts a particular item creates through it's resources use/ production/distribution/disposal. Sherman JD, Ryan S. Ecological responsibility in anesthesia practice. The metal is then quenched in water to bring it to -76 to -112 degrees Fahrenheit to harden the material (Safety Razor). Europe, Plastic News. 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). There are only two components for the BIC disposable razors which are the plastic body and razor blade. 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. After the products make their way to consumers and serve their purpose, the waste must be dealt with. An estimated 1 L of tap water was used to wash and rinse 1 LMA (or 40 L over a lifetime of 40 uses). Anesthesia & Analgesia114(5):1067-1072, May 2012. Environment Agency (Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies in the U.K.) investigated the impact of three diapering systems: cloth diapers with home wash, cloth diapers with commercial laundry, and disposable diapers. On the other hand, extending the number of uses to 80 (doubling the lifetime) reduces GHG emissions by 9%. How Does Polystyrene Recycling Work?HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 4 Apr. 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 . 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. The majority of eutrophication impacts from disposable LMAs are from deposition of nitrogen oxide particulates from electricity generation and waste incineration, and impacts for the reusable LMA are nearly all from wastewater used in the cleaning process. Life cycle assessment of a disposable and a reusable surgery instrument Weissman, Alexander, et al. Disposable and reusable nappies in the UK: life cycle assessment Gillette Plastic Disposable Shaving Kit supermax, for Hotel. 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. BIC currently holds around 11 percent market share in disposable razors (Nash). 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. When you take your blades in to the scrap metal center, choose the steel recycling bin. 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). 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. The company urges users to mail packages over 15 lbs., in order to reduce the waste of mail as well, yet is not necessary. I could however not find any details about the energy consumption of the machines used in the assembly process. Where material types were unknown, proxies were assumed from relevant literature,2 although more detailed material information from suppliers would permit a more robust analysis. Their carbon footprint was reported with the highest offender being air travel for the product, and staff transportation coming from France: accounting for 73% of the companys annual greenhouse gas emissions (Bic). If you count the actual razor cover (if you haven't lost it long ago) then it will be four pieces for recycling. The Ramboll Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) found that, assuming realistic usage over a year, the energy consumption involved in the use phase of reusable plastic and traditional crockery, during in-store or out-sourced washing and drying, outweighed the environmental impact of single-use paper dishes. 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. For me, I had a few extra bits of plastic that I snapped off because they . The metal is then heated and then cooled slowly to remove any internal stress, which makes it tougher, this process is called annealing (Safety Razor). 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. 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. More immediate levels of waste, however, happen during the processing of disposable razors before they are even brought to the buyer and the landfill. 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). WC2N 6EZ, Redesigning the razor Life Cycle Assessment. A Life Cycle Assessment of Reusable and Single-Use Central V - LWW The stability of the plastic components, while necessary for shelf stability and use, takes longer than one persons life-span to decompose. Convenience is a potential advantage for disposable LMAs, and facilities that use reusable LMAs must ensure that a variety of sizes are always available when needed. The LMAs were first rinsed in tap water, scrubbed externally with a Hibiclens sponge and internally with a small scrub brush, and rinsed again. 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/. Chicago: American Medical Association, 2006, 27. Amazon Best Sellers: Best Men's Disposable Shaving Razors Despite the overall lower impacts of the reusable LMA, there are still several ways that its environmental profile could be improved, as suggested by the results shown in Table 2. Innovative and strategic advisor to leading philanthropies, corporates, governments, international institutions and NGOs. Additionally, the PVC-dominated material composition of the disposable LMA and associated packaging added significantly to its impacts. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. 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. This LCA is specific for surgical gowns used in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota. From:. Bic Disposable Razor (1975). Plastics News Europe, 19 Nov. 2009, www.plasticsnewseurope.com/article/20091119/PNE/311199986/bic-disposable-razor-1975. There are three main components in a disposable razor. Most tungsten, about 85%, is extracted from various ores in China (Siddle, How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?). The long and harmful life-cycle of disposable razors is not reflected to the buyer browsing aisles of fully stocked razor shelves. 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. The second component of the razor is the plastic body which is made of a fairly inexpensive plastic called polystyrene. The buyer online is not exposed to the long lasting waste of the razors after they are thrown out. LCA can be used to compare alternative products, processes or services; compare alternative life cycles for a certain product . Comparison of the single use and reusable intubating laryngeal mask airway. 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). 2019, science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/polystyrene-recycling.htm. 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. LeBlanc, Rick. This is the fourth installment in a series of blogs in which weexplore how to design a product for circularity. My next blog post will show some design recommendations using sketches and 3D-printed prototypes. 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). This is based on our Life Cycle Inventory flows from phase 2. PPO elements of the disposable razor are hard to determine in years, however, data shows that most plastic items take up to 1,000 years to begin to decompose (LeBlanc). Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. But this is expected from a large brand like Gillette. 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. 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 1% of the material that is recycled however, goes through a 5 step recycling process which is collecting, sorting, cleaning, reprocessing, and producing new products. Some error has occurred while processing your request. 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. Policy H-135.945: Encouraging Alternatives to PVC/DEHP Products in Health. 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. These included alternative routes and modes of transport from San Diego to New Haven, changes in autoclave loading practices and efficiency, and varied amounts of PVC in the disposable LMA. Life Cycle Assessment Study single use vs. multiple use Research about tungsten is ongoing and includes health effects and risks, degradation processes and an inventory of its use in the defense industry as a substitute for lead-based munitions (EPA). Contamination problems with reuse of laryngeal mask airways and laryngoscopes. 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. From the *Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA; School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Department of Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine/YaleNew Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT. Funding: Department of Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine. 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. 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. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a framework for assessing the environmental impacts of product systems and decisions. Marvel Product Razor Lady Body Shaver Disposable Razore. 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. Alternate assumptions were used to test model sensitivity and to create bounds to aid interpretation of the results (Table 2). 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. 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. 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. Gillette Mach3 Disposable Razors for Men, 6 Count, Designed for Sensitive Skin. However, BIC did report some of its transportation statistics. qILL@#nO @8 Introduction Paper diapers are roughly divided into two types: those for infants and those for adults. This means, of the 2 billion razors disposed of annually within the United States, each razor will be on the planet longer than the people who used them. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) is where the impacts on the environment are calculated. 1. 3 Ways to Recycle Safety Razor Blades - wikiHow Life 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 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. Life cycle assessment - Environmental Assessment and Optimization Group BIC has done their best to deal with waste in an environmentally conscious manner. A 2005 analysis published by U.K. h[K#1}\$u@ 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. Wat LI, Brimacombe JR, Gee S. Laryngeal mask airway longevity and pilot-balloon failure. Redesigning the Razor Life Cycle Assessment. The Great Recovery, http://www.greatrecovery.org.uk/resources/3682/. Life cycle environmental impacts of disposable medical masks 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. 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). Life Cycle Assessment: Disposable paper cups by Shanice Robbins 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. Please try after some time. Hedrick, Art. 3. Disposable Razors in Bulk, Bulk Razors with Knife Caps, Individually Packaged Disposable Razors Bulk, Suitable for Hotels, Shelters, Homeless People, Nursing Homes, Charities, Churches (60) 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (9) $22.39 $ 22.