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). 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). 761 0 obj
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Resources, Conservation & Recycling 156 (2020) 104704. The study found that: Reusable LMAs in general appear to be made largely of silicone, lacking these same concerns for PVC/DEHP. The buyer online is not exposed to the long lasting waste of the razors after they are thrown out. 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. 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. The biggest impact during the cartridge-based razor life-cycle is manufacturing the cartridge as this is the part which is hardest to make. After that the blades go through a blade edging process, which consists of the blade strips first being coarsely ground by whetstone, second being ground at an angle with a finer whetstone, and then having the tip of the blades ground (Manufacturing Processes). More immediate levels of waste, however, happen during the processing of disposable razors before they are even brought to the buyer and the landfill. The Nation's Freight: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Recycling of Polypropylene (PP). AZoCleantech.com, 25 June 2012, www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=240. h[K#1}\$u@ Small components such as inks and labels on the packaging and on the sterilization indicator strips are expected to have negligible impacts and were excluded from the analysis. 748 0 obj
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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). Additionally, the PVC-dominated material composition of the disposable LMA and associated packaging added significantly to its impacts. 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. In this paper, life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used as a tool to quantify the environmental impacts of disposable medical face masks. Eshwar Shop. 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. Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide). Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(p-phenylene_oxide). 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. 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.). Some error has occurred while processing your request. This practice meets American Society of Anesthesiologists' recommendations for infection control for equipment requiring high-level disinfection.14. hb```X ea i:=3*?a_.k7#uq-u[JRP erle@@)`EkP;~
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3. Holes are then punched into the metal and the tapelike sheets of razors are then put in a roll (Manufacturing Processes). Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Inc., 26 Sept. 2012, www.britannica.com/technology/tungsten-processing#ref82029. With the recommended use of three to ten uses for disposable razors, they quickly end up in the landfill to decompose. However, BIC did report some of its transportation statistics. It is used to assist companies, consumers, and policy-makers in greening their practices and decisions. After the parts are manufactured it is time for the final product assembly. 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. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Uncertainties about the correctness of the model. 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. Gillette Sensor3 Sensitive Men's Disposable Razors : Target Bic USAs 2016 registration document provides information about the waste produced during the manufacturing of the razors. The following document provides an introductory overview of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and describes the general uses and major components of LCA. Lv, Andrea Lind, and Tigist Fetene. Life cycle assessment of a disposable and a reusable surgery instrument At 20 reuse cycles,16 the results indicate an increase in emissions of nearly 20%. 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. Choosing a less-green disposable will magnify your razor's manufacturing impact, but it won't change the overall picture very much. Current LMA procurement decisions are typically based on perceived costs. Its aim is a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impact of products and services. 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. Iatrogenic transmission of the CreutzfeldtJakob disease agent has been reported in >250 patients worldwide, and 6 of these were linked to the use of contaminated equipment, all of which were neurosurgical related. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Yet, tungsten has been found to deposit particles into the soil that causes some contamination, making it a recent concern to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. It is resistant to fats and almost all organic solvents which helps it hold up in the damp and warm conditions of a bathroom and shower (Polypropylene. Wikipedia.org). 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. Subramaniar Trading Company. Siddle, Dave. To bring the metal to its final form, it is heated to extremely high temperatures to remove the binders, and to mold the metal particles together, in turn, creating a very strong and durable metal compound (Siddle, How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?). J Environ Assess Policy Manage 2000;2:45376, 2. Life Cycle Assessment: Biopharma SUTs - BioProcess A life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to identify the environmental risks of existing and planned products, services and manufacturing processes as well as identify strategic improvement opportunities. 5.Interpret and analyse the results. 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. Finally, the razors are packaged in cardboard and plastic, and shipped out to stores and markets globally for customers to purchase and use. Gathering all the data for the LCA is the most difficult part of the task, and normally assumptions have to be made where its impossible to gather all the knowledge required, thus not all the relevant impacts are considered. climate change, summer smog, resource depletion, acidification, human health effects, etc. Through an examination of how the raw materials: carbide steel, tungsten steel, and a combination of the plastics: polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide of the razors decompose, and how much waste is accumulated in making the razors, an assessment can be made for the duration of their life cycle. BIC reported that the weight of one of their most popular disposable razors is 8.8 grams (Shavers). For me, I had a few extra bits of plastic that I snapped off because they . Ans: (i) Significant growth in industry of super premium segment . 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. %%EOF
The razors are mainly made of plastic, so they will be decomposing at a very slow rate in the landfill. Amazon Best Sellers: Best Men's Disposable Shaving Razors To begin the process of making tungsten carbide, the tungsten must first be extracted. The final product is then gathered and prepared to go through the final step which is the packaging of razors. For example, LCA results can tell us if one product is environmentally preferable to another . After that, the metal is pressed down to the desired blade thickness which is around 1mm (Manufacturing Processes). 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. Amazon.com: Bulk Disposable Razors 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). Evolution of disposable baby diapers in Europe: life cycle assessment The alternatives are objects made of bio compostable plastic,. Phase 3: Life Cycle Impact Assessment. BIC has done their best to deal with waste in an environmentally conscious manner. life cycle assessment European Environment Agency Properly following the instructions it should (hopefully) leave you with three pieces, the handle, the metal blade, the plastic that was covering the blade. There are only two components for the BIC disposable razors which are the plastic body and razor blade. All of these software packages and models are in widespread use by life cycle assessment practitioners in the US and internationally. 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. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. 11 / Piece. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. Polycarbonate production (14%), transportation via truck (15%), thermoforming (13%), and waste disposal (11%) cause the majority of the remaining emissions. 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). BIC reported that every year around 2.6 billion of their razors are chosen by consumers every year (Shaver's). There is always some level of uncertainty in the results and in the methodology; so users shouldnt take the numbers shown as absolute values, but more as a guide to prioritise work. qILL@#nO @8
1. Properties: Tungsten Carbide-An Overview. AZoM.com, 25 Nov. 2019, www.azom.com/properties.aspx?ArticleID=1203. Anaesthesia 2000;55:7001, 18. The data collected through LCA helps organizations make conscious decisions that affect the environment. This is done on an assembly line by the robotic arm the inserts the razor blade into the small crevices in the plastic body. The plastic handle and head of the disposable razor consists of a hybrid of polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide, also known as PPO. : Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts. ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 17 June 2019, www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/. Chicago: American Medical Association, 2006, 27. The metal liquid then goes through a strengthening process called annealing. It all starts with the melting and combining of the desired metal. Each manufacturing plant or node in the supply chain is referred to as agate-to-gate (GTG) life cycle inventory. 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 designing a product for circularity it is often difficult to know where to begin. 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. Paper diapers for infants, which are highly convenient as they do not require laundering like cloth diapers, are essential for daily life in Japan. In the late 1990s, disposable LMAs became available. The final value for the cartridge-based razor was 115.06 mPt, and the value for the double edge safety razor was 15.70 mPt. My next blog post will show some design recommendations using sketches and 3D-printed prototypes. RSA
The results also suggest effective procurement strategies for reducing the impacts of disposable LMAs where they are selected. Approximately 24 L/min of water are used by the autoclave for cooling, for a total of 960 L of water needed to sterilize an LMA 40 times. What Is Polystyrene? 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. You Asked, We Answered. Chronicle, 12 June 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/what-is-tungsten-carbide-you-asked-we-answered/. There are many detailed stages but the main ones are: extracting and. On the other hand, extending the number of uses to 80 (doubling the lifetime) reduces GHG emissions by 9%. The studies have not found it to be harmful to drinking water, or public safety, however, it is an ongoing research of soil data that continues. 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. For You For Everyone: Registration Document.Bic World, Bic, 2016, www.bicworld.com/sites/default/files/2017-03/BIC_DRF2016_EN.pdf. Quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Labor. However, we can discuss the energy usage of different modes of transportation. BIC has reported their total energy usage and carbon footprint in their factories around the world, this was all however for the year 2016. American Medical Association (AMA). Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/cjd/qa_cjd_infection_control.htm. A Life Cycle Assessment is the systematic analysis of the environmental impact of products during their entire life cycle. However, because of the new awareness to their wasteful impact on the environment, some companies have begun to provide solutions to the disposable razor issue. The metal used for the razor blades is called Tungsten Carbide which is used in wear applications, such as shaving (Safety Razor). 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. endstream
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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. The product fails to include proper instructions for its waste management, causing it to be disposed of, as the name suggests. Contrary to common expectation, hair is actually pretty hard. 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 landfilling or incinerating this part, the large amount of energy and material value used in creating it is lost. CASE STUDY ANALYSIS - CLEAN EDGE, NON DISPOSABLE RAZOR Q1. : Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts.ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 17 June 2019, www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/. 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. The disposable LMA consisted largely of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, and the reusable LMA consisted primarily of silicone.