BD recycles 40,000 pounds of medical waste in circular economy pilot project
BD recycles 40000 pounds of medical waste in circular economy ... MedTech Dive
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Dive Brief:
- BD has recycled 40,000 pounds of medical waste through a circular economy pilot project it ran with Casella Waste Systems.
- During the first half of the year, the collaborators assessed the feasibility of recycling medical waste found in red sharps containers, boxes that healthcare facilities use to dispose of materials such as syringes and needles.
- BD and Casella collected medical waste from a range of healthcare facilities and recycled the plastic components in the boxes. The partners are expanding the pilot to additional locations.
Dive Insight:
Historically, medical waste initiatives have focused on ensuring materials are disposed of safely, rather than minimizing the environmental impact. U.S. healthcare facilities generate 14,000 tons of waste a day, around 20% to 25% of which is plastic, according to one estimate. Only a fraction of the plastic waste is recycled.
BD, a manufacturer of syringes and other disposable plastic products, has worked with Casella over the past decade to recover, process and recycle waste from its own sites. Casella helped BD to recycle unsellable products such as off-specification syringes and manufacturing waste. The next phase of the collaboration started earlier this year, when the partners expanded their focus.
Under the expanded collaboration, BD and Casella assessed the feasibility of recycling syringes discarded by healthcare facilities back into the manufacturing process. BD framed the initiative as a way to create “additional local sourcing options” and ease “pressures on the critically challenged supply chain system.”
Initial results of the pilot show the partners recycled 40,000 pounds of medical waste. The pilot assessed the technical feasibility of two types of technology: mechanical and advanced recycling. Both techniques showed “favorable results in their ability to successfully recycle used medical devices for use in other products,” according to BD.
The pilot persuaded BD and Casella to expand the scope of the project. In the next stage, the partners will “expand regionally to additional hospitals and non-acute care facilities” and “cover other types of medical materials for recycling, as well as reclaiming the used devices and returning them to the manufacturing process,” BD said.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 13: Climate Action
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
- SDG 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
- SDG 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, there are indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators include:
- The amount of medical waste recycled (40,000 pounds) through the circular economy pilot project.
- The feasibility assessment of recycling medical waste found in red sharps containers.
- The expansion of the pilot project to additional locations.
- The assessment of the technical feasibility of mechanical and advanced recycling techniques for used medical devices.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | SDG 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination. | – The amount of medical waste recycled (40,000 pounds) through the circular economy pilot project. – The feasibility assessment of recycling medical waste found in red sharps containers. – The expansion of the pilot project to additional locations. |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | SDG 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | – The amount of medical waste recycled (40,000 pounds) through the circular economy pilot project. – The feasibility assessment of recycling medical waste found in red sharps containers. – The expansion of the pilot project to additional locations. – The assessment of the technical feasibility of mechanical and advanced recycling techniques for used medical devices. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | SDG 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning. | – The assessment of the technical feasibility of mechanical and advanced recycling techniques for used medical devices. – The expansion of the pilot project to additional hospitals and non-acute care facilities. – The coverage of other types of medical materials for recycling, as well as reclaiming the used devices and returning them to the manufacturing process. |
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Source: medtechdive.com
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