Since then, around 60 billion razors have been produced, distributed, and sold worldwide. There is no public data entailing the details of this plastics recyclability. There are 3 key tasks in this step. Saudi J Anaesth 2008;2:58. 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%). HUO0NpnaJd@"&u[kj-+8=WU\*w)OMYb_ry> 1F3 nyNnb 0 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 sheets are then cut out using a process called die stamping, using a tool called a die stamp which is a special, one-of-a-kind precision tool that cuts and forms sheet metal into a desired shape or profile, where the blades are die stamped at a rate of 800-1,200 strokes a minute into the desired shape and size (Hedrick, Die Basics 101: Intro to Stamping.). may email you for journal alerts and information, but is committed The scope of our analysis, as is shown in Figure 1, includes extraction of material and energy resources, manufacturing, packaging and transport from the manufacturing site to the distribution center and the hospital, reprocessing, and eventual disposal. Address e-mail to [emailprotected]. Life-cycle assessment stages Another material used is polystyrene. 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. And then there's the water. Shabecoff, Philip. International Sympsium on Sustainable Systems and Technology. f'C58NQ}i:]1 $Nh@b8H|iWILGgj{J27]Xp0N@h+ !` >q Quantifying the Environmental Impacts of Labor. 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. 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. This study assumed no difference between the devices in terms of clinical efficacy or time for placement.4 Disposable LMAs were discarded in regular municipal solid waste bins after use. To make the handle and cartridges, these various plastics are heated together and melted together along with optional colorants and various filler materials. The life cycle for disposable razors must first be assessed by the products design. :396?Qkt)e. At every point during planning, production, and even marketing, the quantity of consumption should be analyzed to adjust business models accordingly. 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. 6,474. During the research, I could not find how much energy BIC injection molding machines use, but I did find the energy usage of a common injection molding machine called the Babyplast. Cad M, Webb T, Bjorksten A. Kelly, John. These results suggest that the reusable LMA Classic has fewer life cycle impacts in comparison with the disposable LMA Unique at Yale New Haven Hospital, across several categories of concern. 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. The Potential of Polypropylene.Recycling Today, Recycling Today, 17 July 2019, www.recyclingtoday.com/article/the-recycling-potential-of-polypropylene/. For me, I had a few extra bits of plastic that I snapped off because they . 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). 1.Establish the purpose of the Eco-Indicator calculations The hardest part of this whole process is the data gathering. Its aim is a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impact of products and services. Reprints will not be available from the authors. It is cheap and highly versatile, and can either be hard plastic material, or a soft foam material, making it one of the most common plastic materials manufactured and used (What Is Polystyrene? 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. 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). Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide). Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(p-phenylene_oxide). Anaesth Intensive Care 2010;38:538, 9. There are so many variables that you have to take into account when calculating how much of an impact a product is having on the environment and our resources. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of Transportation, 2002, 14. Several waste management scenarios were also considered, including 100% landfilling and 100% incineration, because practices are highly location dependent. Soulias M, Martin L, Garnier N, Juniot A, Aho L, Freysz M. Disposable vs reusable laryngeal mask airway: a cost-minimization analysis. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. 2. BIC has noted however that they strive to be as efficient with materials used when it comes to their packaging. 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. You Asked, We Answered. Chronicle, 12 June 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/what-is-tungsten-carbide-you-asked-we-answered/. We perform Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and Critical Reviews in accordance with ISO 14040/44 for products and services. Put the blades in the steel recycling section. But what really goes into making one of these seemingly mundane disposable razors and what happens to it after its tossed in the trash? Marvel Product Razor Lady Body Shaver Disposable Razore. 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). Polypropylene. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene. The total energy consumption of the Babyplast in its four-step molding cycle of setup, fill, cool, and reset was approximately 4.5 kilowatts (Weissman et.al). Reducing Trichloroethylene (TCE) Waste in the Fabricated Metals Sector.EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 9 Aug. 2016, www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/reducing-trichloroethylene-tce-waste-fabricated-metals-sector. The cheap price of the razor does not reflect the high cost of its waste and impact on the environment. In landfilling or incinerating this part, the large amount of energy and material value used in creating it is lost. But this is expected from a large brand like Gillette. 39 ($0.37/Count) FREE delivery Thu, Mar 2 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon. 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. Goodman EJ, Haas AJ. Marine cargo ships use a fuel called heavy fuel oil which produces around 145,000 BTU per gallon (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). With the recommended use of three to ten uses for disposable razors, they quickly end up in the landfill to decompose. The unit cost of disposable LMAs is 20% higher at approximately $9.60 per unit. LCA is a standardized, science-based tool for quantifying the impact in order to assess lifetime environmental impact. Plastics are cleaned and pelletized to be recycled into new products, such as picnic tables and park benches. The Great Recovery was a project by the RSA working with Innovate UK which ran between 2012 and 2016. The plastic handle and head of the disposable razor consists of a hybrid of polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide, also known as PPO. Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2002, 26. Nash, Nathaniel C. HOW BIC LOST THE EDGE TO GILLETTE. The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Apr. Features Downloads. 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 After the end of their recommended lifetime, reusable LMAs were also placed in municipal solid waste containers. Shavers. BICWorld, www.bicworld.com/en/our-products/shavers. 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. To go from raw materials to final product involves many steps and heavy energy input. Ans: (i) Significant growth in industry of super premium segment . This manuscript was handled by: Steven L. Shafer, MD. 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 second component of the razor is the plastic body which is made of a fairly inexpensive plastic called polystyrene. 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/. The plastic, however stable for the user, remains stable long after it is thrown away as well. Bics direct emissions were from: a combustion of fossil fuels, primarily natural gas and fuel oil, mainly used to heat buildings. My next blog post will show some design recommendations using sketches and 3D-printed prototypes. EPA. Staff, RT. 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, 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. 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. The Bic Razor, Still the Sharpest of the Bunch. Plastics Le Mag, 31 Jan. 2017, plastics-themag.com/The-Bic-razor-still-the-sharpest-of-the-bunch. When designing a product for circularity it is often difficult to know where to begin. 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). BIC states that it prides itself on producing affordable, safe, and quality razors for its customers worldwide. Properties: Tungsten Carbide-An Overview. AZoM.com, 25 Nov. 2019, www.azom.com/properties.aspx?ArticleID=1203. Recommendations for Infection Control for the Practice of Anesthesiology. 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. Brimacombe J, Keller C, Morris R, Mecklem D. A comparison of the disposable versus the reusable laryngeal mask airway in paralyzed adult patients. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Recycling of Polypropylene (PP). AZoCleantech.com, 25 June 2012, www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=240. Conversely, impacts can be reduced by autoclaving more LMAs at once or with other equipment with similar decontamination requirements. Contribution: This author helped design the study, analyze the data, and prepare the manuscript. By not using air travel and transport, BIC greatly reduces their energy usage and carbon footprint at the same time. In conclusion, disposable razors are being used and thrown away at a rate that is unsustainable for the finite space on the planet. The Fate of the Disposable Razor.Industrial Equipment News (IEN), 7 Aug. 2019, www.ien.com/product-development/news/21081402/the-fate-of-the-disposable-razor. This is done on an assembly line by the robotic arm the inserts the razor blade into the small crevices in the plastic body. LCA for product sustainability. Address correspondence to Jodi Sherman, MD, Yale University, School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, 333 Cedar Street, TMP3, New Haven, CT 06520. A life-cycle assessment or LCA is a 'cradle to grave' analysis of the impact of a manufactured product on the environment. The metal must be mined and extracted from the mountain causing an emission of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases (Wang). Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2010. 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). In their study of Life cycle assessment of wastewater treatment technologies treating petroleum process waters, Vlaopolous et al. Sensitivity and simple life cycle cost analyses were conducted to aid in interpretation of the results. 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). Rogers, Tony. Interpretation of results The last step in the process is to interpret the results and compare them against each other. 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. Biron, Michel. The 2 LMA options are nearly equivalent in terms of eutrophication impacts, but with different contributions. 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. Differences in environmental impacts between devices may present a compelling consideration in their selection. The high waste from manufacturing and shipping such a small, and cheap product is one that is negatively impacting the planet. Each razor can last up to 12 gentle shaves. 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). The alternatives are objects made of bio compostable plastic,. Bic Disposable Razor (1975). Plastics News Europe, 19 Nov. 2009, www.plasticsnewseurope.com/article/20091119/PNE/311199986/bic-disposable-razor-1975. 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. In this paper, many details about the life cycle stages were not included. All that is needed is the insertion of the razor blade into the plastic body. This means that it takes around 1 BTU to heat a 0.035-ounce razor blade to the desired temperature (Julabo et.al). Amersfoort, The Netherlands: Product Ecology (PR) Consultants, 2011, 11. Once all the components of the razor have been made, the components go to various stations where different tasks will be performed. The metal liquid then goes through a strengthening process called annealing. 1. After the products are packaged, there has to be a way for them to get to the end consumer. This is shown through their commitment to their eco-design process and new recycling programs that are undergoing testing. 2. Anesth Analg 2004;99:6267, 17. The results also suggest effective procurement strategies for reducing the impacts of disposable LMAs where they are selected. There is uncertainty in several model assumptions. use/disposable and multiple-use/washable surgical gowns. Overall BIC is an industry leader when it comes to reducing the environmental impact that their disposable products make. Europe, Plastic News. Gillette's slogan 'Gillette - the best a man can get' is famous the world over. 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. 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. 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. One of their most popular products is the disposable razor, which they started to manufacture in 1975. 3.Quantify the materials and processes BIC says its product beats out other models by 59 percent. 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). Each year in Italy, millions of tons of fruits and vegetables are harvested, packed and transported to national and foreign retail outlets. The product fails to include proper instructions for its waste management, causing it to be disposed of, as the name suggests. 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. Cited Here. Current LMA procurement decisions are typically based on perceived costs. @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 . #4. From mining and extracting the natural tungsten metal, to making the metal alloy and manufacturing just the blade, waste is released. 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. By far, the biggest impact during the manufacturing of the razors was the 17 spot welds done in each cartridge. Get new journal Tables of Contents sent right to your email inbox, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/cjd/qa_cjd_infection_control.htm, Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Laryngeal Mask Airways, Articles in PubMed by Matthew Eckelman, PhD, Articles in Google Scholar by Matthew Eckelman, PhD, Other articles in this journal by Matthew Eckelman, PhD, May 2012 - Environment and Anesthesia Practice, A Comparison of Reusable and Disposable Perioperative Textiles: Sustainability State-of-the-Art 2012, Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Anesthetic Drugs, Environmental and Occupational Considerations of Anesthesia: A Narrative Review and Update, Global Warming Potential of Inhaled Anesthetics: Application to Clinical Use, A Survey of Anesthesiologists' Views of Operating Room Recycling, Privacy Policy (Updated December 15, 2022), International Anesthesia Research Society. The reusable LMA was found to have a more favorable environmental profile than the disposable LMA as used at Yale New Haven Hospital. How One Facility Completely Eliminated the Use of TCE Schick Razor Blade Manufacturing in Knoxville, Tennessee. 2017. Sherman JD, Ryan S. Ecological responsibility in anesthesia practice. Gillette Razor Local Recycling Solutions.TerraCycle, www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/gillette-local-recycling. Any extra plastic will be discarded, remelted, and reused (Safety Razor, madehow.com). 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). To start the process of making the blades, tungsten carbide is melted at high temperatures. Poly(Phenylene Oxide). The Polymer Science Learning Center, www.pslc.ws/macrog/ppo.htm. Contribution: This author helped conduct the study and analyze the data. climate change, summer smog, resource depletion, acidification, human health effects, etc. There are various ways that the product can get there. Of course the 2.6 billion razors were not, all the same, however, we can still give a ballpark estimate of how many tonnes of plastic/metal waste is being produced every year. A Comparison Life Cycle Assessment between Razor Blade and Electric Shaver. Dec. 2012. Introduction Paper diapers are roughly divided into two types: those for infants and those for adults. 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). Cargo planes and other transport aircraft use jet fuel which produces 135,000 BTU per gallon (Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.). 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). 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.