Marvel Product Razor Lady Body Shaver Disposable Razore. The total amount of indirect emissions was 89,762 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). BIC is voicing their concern about the environmental impact that their large production goals can have. The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) is where the impacts on the environment are calculated. There is no public data entailing the details of this plastics recyclability. Resources, Conservation & Recycling 156 (2020) 104704. Poly(Phenylene Oxide). The Polymer Science Learning Center, www.pslc.ws/macrog/ppo.htm. SimaPro 7.3.2. 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. %%EOF There are various ways that the product can get there. @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 . 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. 8 John Adam Street 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. Chicago: American Medical Association, 2006, 27. Eshwar Shop. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a framework for assessing the environmental impacts of product systems and decisions. Tungsten carbide is a carbide compound, made up of equal parts of tungsten and carbon. 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. Most of those razors just end up in a landfill because most countries are not recycling them. Gillette Mach3 Men's Disposable Razor for Sensitive Skin - Best Cartridge Razor for Sensitive Skin. The metal is not yet to its final form, as it is still greatly held together by the previously added binders. The US Environmental Protection Agency's Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts (TRACI) life cycle impact assessment method was used to model environmental impacts of greenhouse gases and other pollutant emissions. A major flaw in the disposable razors design is in fact its inability to be sustainably and properly disposed, despite what its name suggests. London Soulias M, Martin L, Garnier N, Juniot A, Aho L, Freysz M. Disposable vs reusable laryngeal mask airway: a cost-minimization analysis. According to studies done by the EPA, tungsten steel was originally tested as a stable metal in soil that does not dissolve easily in water (EPA). Reusable LMAs were collected in a dirty device bin on the anesthesia cart and then reprocessed by the anesthesia technicians. For both environmental and cost considerations, management and operating procedures should be put in place to ensure that reusable LMAs are not discarded prematurely. Teoh W, Lim Y. Quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Labor. Plastics are cleaned and pelletized to be recycled into new products, such as picnic tables and park benches. Comparative life cycle assessment of disposable and reusable - PubMed Bic USAs 2016 registration document provides information about the waste produced during the manufacturing of the razors. 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. Most tungsten, about 85%, is extracted from various ores in China (Siddle, How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?). 3 in Table 1). Life Cycle Assessment - IPP - Environment - European Commission Environmental Life-Cycle Assessment of Disposable Bioreactors - BioProcess InternationalBioProcess International Upstream Processing Bioprocessing begins upstream, most often with culturing of animal or microbial cells in a range of vessel types (such as bags or stirred tanks) using different controlled feeding, aerating, and process strategies. 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. The carbon footprint reported was separated into two sections which are direct and indirect emissions. LCA's are completed particularly in relation to how to develop a sustainable world where less waste and more reuse is implemented. Gillette Plastic Disposable Shaving Kit supermax, for Hotel. Siddle, Dave. There is also an additional resin called fluorine resin that is applied to the blades, which allows them to freely glide on the skin. Life Cycle Approach to Plastic Pollution - Life Cycle Initiative 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. 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. The plastic, however stable for the user, remains stable long after it is thrown away as well. The Nation's Freight: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 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. 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 LMAs were first rinsed in tap water, scrubbed externally with a Hibiclens sponge and internally with a small scrub brush, and rinsed again. 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. Life Cycle Assessment explained: an introduction to building LCA Julabo Gmbh, et al. endstream endobj 752 0 obj <>stream Overall BIC is an industry leader when it comes to reducing the environmental impact that their disposable products make. Life Cycle Assessment | EcoAct The Bic corporation considers their environmental impact and takes steps to reduce as much waste as possible. Wolters Kluwer Health In this case its the life-cycle of the cartridge-based razor. The tracking can come from sales, and in 2018 more than $1.2 billion in disposable razors were sold in the U.S., with varying prices but many disposables costing less than $1 each (Olsen). 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. 11 / Piece. 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. The most important sources of impacts for the disposable LMA were the production of polymers, packaging, and waste management, whereas for the reusable LMA, washing and sterilization dominated for most impact categories. Safety Razor. How Products Are Made www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html. Brimacombe J, Keller C, Morris R, Mecklem D. A comparison of the disposable versus the reusable laryngeal mask airway in paralyzed adult patients. LCAs can be used comparatively to assess different product or service design options or to identify environmental . 13, 14 There are few published life cycle assessment studies of medical items (ref. The powder is then shaped, usually by the process of die stamping. The company urges users to mail packages over 15 lbs., in order to reduce the waste of mail as well, yet is not necessary. Steel Life Cycle.SSAB, www.ssab.com/company/sustainability/sustainable-offering/steel-life-cycle?di=discover21C927E58ECC41198B78D915F7E3E2AF. 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. E.P.A. Razor blades dull quickly after repeated use, and are recommended to be used only three to ten times, making them a cheap alternative to reusable cartridges. 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. 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 biggest impact during the cartridge-based razor life-cycle is manufacturing the cartridge as this is the part which is hardest to make. The metal that can be used in the cartridge is also cut out during this stage. What Is Polystyrene? Buy Now. BIC currently holds around 11 percent market share in disposable razors (Nash). 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. This is shown through their commitment to their eco-design process and new recycling programs that are undergoing testing. 2.Define the life-cycle With such a fast accumulating waste and slow decomposition rate, there must be changes and incentive for companies to rethink the disposable razor. How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed? Chronicle, 20 Aug. 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/how-is-tungsten-carbide-formed/. 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). 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. E-LCA is a time tested assessment technique that evaluates environmental performance throughout the life cycle of a product or from performing a service. The life of a typical razor blade is not an easy one. What IS Life Cycle Assessment? BIC put out a report detailing how they deal with the waste from their factories. BIC Group, 2016, Sustainable Development Report. In phase 3, we evaluate how significant the impacts are. Where regulations permit, disposal of LMA-related waste as regular municipal waste, as opposed to biohazardous waste, should also reduce the adverse health effects stemming from medical waste incineration. Anesth Analg 1998;87:921, 3. 2. EPA. Dbendorf, Switzerland, 2011, 12. These steps are not necessarily conducted in succession, but iteratively. The body of both razors had similar impact as their weights were also quite similar. 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. Composition Assumptions for Disposable and Reusable Largyngeal Mask Airways (LMAs). Kelly, John. The total amount of Direct emissions from BIC factories was 8,689 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). 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 . Each manufacturing plant or node in the supply chain is referred to as agate-to-gate (GTG) life cycle inventory. Polypropylene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene. Amersfoort, The Netherlands: Product Ecology (PR) Consultants, 2011, 11. Define the Life-cycle This is an example of a simple product life-cycle diagram. The metal and plastic components of the cartridges will be assembled, where they will then go to the next station where the blades will be inserted. 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). Please enable scripts and reload this page. 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. For example, the designer might think that the manufacturing stage would be the most impactful, when in reality for some products its the raw material extraction or its use phase. Case Studies. Case Studies : Reducing BIC's Rejection Rates | KEYENCE America, www.keyence.com/solutions/case-studies/bic.jsp. What does a business area's assessment of agreements, income, and value implicate? Features Downloads. Metal materials are sent for smelting and conversion to new alloys (Terracycle). Anyone can send in razors of any kind, and the plastic and cardboard packaging as well. Anesthesiology 2003;99:1066, 6. Each year in Italy, millions of tons of fruits and vegetables are harvested, packed and transported to national and foreign retail outlets. 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). 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. Part of this responsible shipping mentality forces them to change their packaging to be able to ship more at a time. 1. Another material used is polystyrene. Thomas, G.P. Sustainability | Free Full-Text | Reducing the Environmental Impact of Though technicians are paid regardless of whether they are cleaning LMAs or are performing some other task, these wages are nonetheless assigned to the reusable LMA on the basis of time spent. to maintaining your privacy and will not share your personal information without The LMA was then dried with a cotton towel. Introduction Paper diapers are roughly divided into two types: those for infants and those for adults. Marinella Levi. Weissman, Alexander, et al. LCA can be used to compare alternative products, processes or services; compare alternative life cycles for a certain product . Uncertainties about the correctness of the model. RSA Camera visual inspection is performed and This is all to ensure BICs quality standards are being met and ensure a quality product. LeBlanc, Rick. 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. The specific type or blend of plastic for BIC razors is used is called polystyrene (Europe). Life cycle assessment of stainless-steel reusable speculums versus BIC reported that the weight of one of their most popular disposable razors is 8.8 grams (Shavers). The 2 LMA options are nearly equivalent in terms of eutrophication impacts, but with different contributions. After the plastic body is manufactured it goes through inspections similar to ones the blades go through. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - Complete Beginner's Guide - Ecochain
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