Contract manufacturing
– and those generated indirectly via its activities from energy it has purchased. In 2018, Flex implemented more than 200 energy-saving projects, including switching to more efficient heating, ventilation and cooling systems, and replacing lighting installations with LEDs. The changes have accounted for a reduction of more than 41,000t in carbon emissions. Across the company’s EMEA sites, 20% currently use energy from renewable providers, while three more solar projects are due to be installed around the world this year.
Rethinking plastic
In July 2023, solar panels provided 60% of the energy consumed by Europlaz.
Without Harm; in 2019, NHS supply chain emissions were equivalent to those from driving 39.7 billion miles in a gasoline powered car. Now is the time for manufacturers to take sustainability seriously – and some are already making strides on this front.
Energy efficient
For medical device manufacturers Europlaz, revising its processes to be more resource efficient has led to significant energy savings. “Our key CO2
contributor
and energy usage is actually our injection moulding for some of our processes,” says commercial director Rory O’Keeffe. The company has 16 injection moulding machines, ranging from a ten to 300-tonne (t) press. By upgrading these machines from hydraulic to electric models, energy intensity has reduced by around 30–60% per unit. With 12 machines now electric, there are plans on the horizon to upgrade the remaining four. While energy savings may vary between manufacturers and the parameters of their moulding cycles, O’Keeffe says there are big gains to be made by opting for more efficient machinery: “Even if you’re getting 30% [energy reduction], it’s a big hit for contract manufacturers.” When you consider that over half of the global healthcare industry’s climate footprint comes from energy use, this has a notable environmental impact, too. Europlaz is also incorporating more sustainable sources of energy, rather than relying on fossil fuels. “We’ve got 528 solar panels here,” O’Keeffe explains. “In July, they were generating 60% of our overall energy consumption.” This, he adds, caused a carbon offset of 3.263t, the equivalent effect of 57 trees. Global supply chain and healthcare manufacturing solutions provider Flex is also investing in renewable energy sources. By 2030, the company has committed to reducing both Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50%, which includes emissions directly generated by its facilities – such as using fuel to power equipment
26
In 2020, over 32 billion pounds of healthcare plastics were produced globally. Plastic is used widely in healthcare manufacturing for good reason. It’s durable, versatile and cost-effective – especially for mass production, says Flex’s vice-president of business development, Daniele Fazio. But plastics also have a significant carbon footprint and often end up in landfill as single-use or discarded devices. “The biggest issue with plastics is biodegradability,” says Fazio. “But we have to look at the CO2 emissions as well, and not all plastic materials are the same.” To reduce this impact, the most straightforward solution for manufacturers is to use less plastic, Fazio explains. However, you could also use plastics made from resins that generate less emissions, materials that are fully or partially recycled or bio-based materials – those made from an organic fossil fuel alternative like wood or plants. For example, the plastic acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) generates about half of the carbon emissions that polycarbonate (PC) does, yet it has comparable mechanical properties. Using recycled materials generates fewer emissions and waste than creating a device from scratch. To use biomaterials, they must have an equivalent mechanical robustness to the plastics they aim to replace. Flex is currently investigating the suitability of various biomaterials, in one test, a certain ‘green’ material performed just as well as a standard resin (PC) in terms of mouldability and mechanical resistance and could be used with the same tools and moulding parameters. But making the switch to greener materials can come with challenges. “If you’re adopting bioplastics, they’re going to be more expensive,” says O’Keeffe. Plus, new materials must meet regulatory criteria for safety and performance, which can extend your development cycle and workload. “It is a bit of a barrier...But ultimately, these are weighed up against the long-term benefits,” O’Keeffe adds. “It’s a completely novel characteristic against competitors and is actually doing environmental good…I think the benefits outweigh the risks.” Europlaz is currently working to include more biomaterials into its products,
Medical Device Developments /
www.nsmedicaldevices.com
Fevziie/
Shutterstock.com
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