Designing circular and sustainable products for hospitals is challenging, especially for one product group, the low-cost, low-weight, high-performance (LLH) products. This group is specifically sensitive to additional costs, weight, i.e. environmental impacts, or innovative design configurations, i.e. potential performance impairments. In our recently published article we investigate circular design alternatives for one representative of the LLH group, filtering facepieces of class two (FFP2 masks). Therefor, we perform a cradle-to-grave LCA, investigating six mask and life cycle design configurations. The systems differ in input material (PP, PLA), use phase (single-use, reuse) and end of life (incineration with energy recovery, CCU, composting). The results show that circularity does not automatically equate sustainability. Instead, the specific product design and life cycle characteristics matter.
Check out the full article in Resources Conservation & Recycling: