Kestrel has been directly involved in developing thinking in sustainable design since 2005. We currently lead pan-industry groups in the medical sector in developing standards and best practice guidelines for sustainable design in medical devices.
Why Sustainability Matters
- Pollution is a leading cause of morbidity / mortality globally and is responsible for 9 million premature deaths annually (16% overall).
- If left unabated, greenhouse gas emissions could result in up to 83 million excess global deaths between 2020 and 2100, due to heat stress alone – equal to the current population of Germany and greater than the total casualties from WW2
Kestrel has been directly involved in developing thinking in sustainable design since 2007, including direct input into national and international standards in sustainable design and manufacture. Kestrel currently chairs British Standards Committee TPR 1/7/5 on sustainable design in Medical. The role pulls together pan-industry groups to develop standards and best practice guidelines for sustainable design in medical devices.
Current challenges include recovery of used devices, lack of awareness of what “sustainable design” looks like, where to start and of course how to make sustainable initiatives pay for themselves. Working with partner organisations and researchers, Kestrel is actively developing practical and impactful solutions in all these areas that industry can use.
Case studies
Pressurised Metered-Dose Inhaler (pMDi)Valve Investigation and Testing Programme
A Kestrel client was requested by a major European pharma customer to evaluate using less environmentally damaging pMDI propellant gasses in existing canister designs.
The investigation included testing of existing canister designs and an assessment of an accelerated leak testing programme using low molecular weight gas. Initially, we were asked to provide technical input and review, however, following staff resignations, illness and disruption during the COVID-19 epidemic, we stepped in to take over control of the project… read more
Sustainability can only work if the business model is sustainable
Sustainable Business Models
- Valuable components and materials with a high “residual value” can be recovered and re-used to make new products. These can then be re-sold to customers, generating more valuable revenue for reduced manufacturing costs and significantly less waste.
- Circular manufacture aims to recover and re-manufacture the same product but generating less waste. “Spiral” manufacture recognises the need for products to be kept up to date to meet changing market needs over multiple life cycles. There is therefore the need to design products to be regularly upgraded – emphatically NOT making the same thing again.
- There are challenges, including designing products for multiple life cycles, the need to satisfy regulators that safety and reliability have not been compromised, the cost of the recovery and remanufacturing operation and, crucially, the ability to recover useful quantities of usable products.
Recovery of used products has been a major challenge to businesses trying to incorporate circular economy models. If you can’t get any products back, strategies for reprocessing including recycling, remanufacturing, refurbishment, etc. are moot!
In PAAS, the manufacturer transition from a sales model to a rental model. Ownership of the product remains with the manufacturer. Customers pay for what the product does, not for the product itself. Businesses are therefore incentivised to maximise revenue by making the product last as long as possible, again reducing wastage and increasing profitability.
Supported by customers’ leasing models:
- Customers pay for the availability of equipment
- The manufacturer is responsible for ensuring equipment is reliable and provided quickly and cost-effectively
- Drives recovery and re-use of equipment supplied
- In turn drives improvements in re-manufactuarable design and operational efficiency
What are reprocessing, recycling, repurposing, remanufacture, refurbishing and reuse?
Some of the terminology around sustainable design and manufacture can be confusing or, worse still, contradictory.
Here is a handy guide:
Reprocessing
“Reprocessing” is an umbrella term covering operations carried out on used products with the intention of recovering some of their value or reducing their environmental impact. Examples include recycling, remanufacture, refurbishment, repurposing, reconditioning etc.
Recycling
Recycling commonly describes the recovery and reuse of the materials used in a product. Many products today include recycled materials including plastic bags, food packaging, recycled paper, glass from glass bottles, aluminium from drinks cans and steel from shipping and heavy industry. Used computer equipment is now seen as an economically viable method for mining gold.
Due to contamination and degradation due to the recycling process, recycled materials can often be seen as relatively low quality and so recycling is seen as the least preferred though often easiest option for manufacturers. Many products including medical equipment cannot use recycled materials and therefore recycled materials can have a relatively low value, making it difficult for manufacturers to justify the cost of recovery and recycling. Separation and decontamination technology is advancing quickly however so usability of recycled materials may improve.
Repurposing
Some products find a useful second life entirely unrelated to their original use. From used car tyres turned into sandals in Africa to used jet engines combined with generator sets and repackaged as containerised emergency power stations, an increasing number of entrepreneurs are seeing the potential value in what others throw away.
Remanufacturing
Remanufacturing is defined as returning a product to service in at least as good a condition as a new product. Remanufacturing is considered the gold standard of reprocessing as it minimises waste and returns the maximum value back to the business.
Remanufactured products are ideally designed for multiple life cycles and as a result are often of higher quality compared with competitor products at the same price point. Remanufacturing can be carried out by the manufacturer, their representative or by an authorised 3rd party at a remanufacturing facility. Remanufacturing can be centralised or distributed to regional centres to cut down on costs and environmental impacts. Products are supplied as-new with the same guarantees and warranties as a new product. A typical Remanufacture operation would include:
- Parts Harvesting, Logistics & Planning
- Used product Screening, Cosmetic Grading, and redirection of products which are beyond economic recovery
- Cleaning and disassembly and refurbishment or replacement of worn, damaged, contaminated or cosmetically unacceptable parts.
- Collection of valuable usage data from Smart devices followed by comprehensive data wipe.
- Reassembly of products back into an as-new configuration including sterilisation, testing, inspection and design verification as required
Refurbishing
While remanufacturing aims to supply a used product back to the market in “at least as good as new” condition, refurbishment does not. Refurbishment is intended to return a used product to service, typically in a “second hand” condition and at a second hand price. This may involve testing and minor repairs, replacement of used or damaged components, cleaning, data wipe and cosmetic improvements, but the product is not presented as “as good as new”.
Many large commercial organisations have implemented refurbished product sales channels as a way to reduce their environmental impact, recover the residual value in used but unwanted products, establish a repeat sales cycle with customers and ensure the quality of their products in the market. Crucially, although a limited warranty may be provided, the remaining life in service may be significantly less than a new product. Many people are familiar with the well-established second-hand car market as an example of the refurbishment of a used product and it is popular as a way for customers to access more expensive models than a new purchase would allow.
Reuse
Reuse is where a used product is simply sold on in its “as seen” condition. Typically, private sellers of second-hand products fit into this category. No warranty as to the quality or reliability of the products is expected or given, and as a result, the sale price can be quite low. “Caveat emptor” or “buyer beware” is a phrase often used to describe transactions of this type.
