Sustainable Practices In Medical Device Manufacturing
5 min read
Every step in the lifecycle of medical device manufacturing, from production and packaging to distribution and use, consumes large quantities of natural resources and energy. After these devices are discarded, they also generate tons of medical waste, primarily from electronic parts and single-use circuits made of PVC, a difficult plastic to incinerate without releasing toxic fumes into the air.
As concerns about climate change and its impact on global health increase, the need for more sustainable medical device manufacturing becomes imperative. Manufacturers must shift toward more eco-friendly practices to protect vital natural resources, reduce environmental impact, and ensure society’s health and well-being.
Why Sustainability in Medical Device Manufacturing is Important
Sustainable medical device manufacturing is of critical concern for various reasons. For starters, as climate change becomes more of a problem, environmental regulations will evolve, making it increasingly necessary for manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices to remain compliant.
As the medical device industry also contributes a significant amount each year to carbon emissions, manufacturers have a responsibility to find ways to reduce the ecological footprint of their processes. Sustainability efforts can also help make medical device supply chains more resilient in the face of climate disasters as well as reduce reliance on dwindling resources.
On the business side of things, going green can go a long way toward boosting brand reputation and image. It’s not just regulators putting pressure on companies to be more sustainable. Consumers are also more interested in supporting brands that are doing their part to protect the environment. Finding newer ways to be more sustainable can also drive innovation, which can help manufacturers gain a competitive edge in the sustainable product market.
Sustainable Medical Device Manufacturing Best Practices
Here are eight best practices and pathways to improved medical device sustainability:
1. Green Design
While safety and efficacy to ensure quality patient care should be at the forefront of medical device design, sustainable design is equally important. It’s about finding the balance between patient safety and sustainability.
When designing products for sustainability, you must first consider how to create the product in a way that uses as few materials and resources as possible. This often means focusing on size and getting rid of unnecessary components. 3D printers are excellent when it comes to device design as the printers only use the exact materials needed and reduce the size and scraps that often go to waste.
Sustainable Sourcing and Materials
Sustainable procurement is another critical element in adopting more eco-friendly manufacturing processes. This means being mindful of the materials used and how and where they are sourced from.
When sourcing materials, it’s important to look for vendors that provide more biodegradable, recyclable, and biocompatible materials. For example, plastics can be replaced with bioplastics like bio-PET and bio-based nylons or glass and stainless steel, which can be reused more easily in place of plastics.
It’s also a good social responsibility to source materials from vendors that uphold fair labor practices.
Eco-Friendly Packaging
In addition to sustainable device design, the packaging components should be considered when looking for ways to reduce environmental impact. Often, product packaging is much larger than it needs to be and has wasted space. Instead, simplify and minimize packaging design and use only what is necessary to keep the product safe and secure.
It’s also necessary to use more sustainable packaging materials by eliminating plastics and petroleum-based foam packaging as much as possible. Use biodegradable and recyclable packaging materials where feasible.
Product End-of-Life Management
To minimize waste at the end of medical device life cycles, manufacturers can adopt a closed-loop system. With this type of system, devices should be designed with reusability and recyclability in mind.
Instead of devices being disposed of, manufacturers can adopt take-back programs where healthcare facilities and patients can send devices back once they are finished using them. The devices can then be taken apart for recycling or remanufacturing, or they can be refurbished and sold again.
Regulatory Alignment
A critical component in sustainable manufacturing is aligning processes with environmental laws and regulations. The regulatory landscape is constantly evolving to keep up with climate change. As such, manufacturers need to stay ahead of these regulations and fully integrate them into medical device design and production.
Some of the laws to keep an eye on include the following:
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Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) – Regulates disposal of medical waste; -
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) – Requires organizations involved in the healthcare sector to assess the environmental impact of their processes; -
Clean Air and Clean Water Acts – Regulate emissions that impact air quality and water systems; -
Toxic Substances Control Act – Regulate the manufacturing, use, and disposal of toxic substances.
Sustainability Reporting
A key element in building a more sustainable medical device supply chain is transparency. Manufacturers must be prepared to monitor and audit their processes and provide detailed reports on the environmental impact of their actions.
To ensure that organizations keep sustainability measured accurately, they track key metrics like energy consumption, the efficiency of renewable energy sources being used (i.e. solar panels), indoor air quality in manufacturing plants to assess pollution levels, water usage, recycling rate, and space utilization.
Additionally, it’s also helpful to audit how much waste is produced, the total carbon footprint created during the manufacturing process, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. If you aren’t sure how to measure ESG, you can hire external auditors to help.
Final Thoughts
While attaining true sustainability in the medical device sector is challenging, it is not impossible. As it often takes significant change and investment, it is critical to get the support of key stakeholders. All those involved in the medical device and healthcare sectors must make a collaborative effort to successfully achieve sustainability goals and ensure the health and well-being of society.
Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.
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