Sustainability and Waste Reduction in Medical Device Manufacturing
Like most industries, the medical device manufacturing industry is increasingly focused on sustainability and waste reduction practices. With growing environmental concerns and new regulatory directives, companies are constantly seeking ways to minimise their carbon footprint while maintaining high standards and competitive pricing.
For companies that have not prioritised sustainability, the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) will soon require that companies do so. The ESRS framework aims to provide a transparent, accurate, and comparable view of a company’s ESG impacts, risks, and opportunities. This represents not just a regulatory requirement but a move towards embedding sustainability into core business reporting, reflecting the European Union’s commitment to a sustainable economic future. Companies will need to disclose extensive data on sustainability-related impacts across their value chains including greenhouse gas emissions, resource consumption, chemical usage, waste production and handling, water usage, and energy efficiency.
How to Integrate Sustainability into the Manufacturing Process
Sustainability must be integrated across each phase of the manufacturing process:
Design Phase
- Design for Manufacturing (DFM): Develop designs that require less energy to manufacture and that minimise waste of raw materials.
- Material selection: Choose biodegradable, recyclable, or sustainably sourced materials where possible.
Manufacturing Phase
- Energy Efficiency: Use new energy efficient machinery .
- Energy Sources: Where possible, move to renewable energy sources.
- Waste Management: Set up proper waste management systems to recycle or repurpose waste materials.
- Water Management: Keep track of and optimise water usage.
- Process Optimisation: Identify, measure, and improve on efficiency losses in processes, and take measures to optimise cooling, heating, process settings, and cycle times.
- Health and Safety: Ensure worker health and safety with proper protocols and protection
- Automation and AI: Leverage automation and AI to minimise scrap rates and material waste.
- Chemical Recycling: Ensure any solvents or chemicals used are recycled properly onsite and/or offsite.
Post Production
- Packaging Waste: Where possible, use minimal waste material as necessary, and using packaging materials that are recyclable or biodegradable.
- End of Life Recycling: Facilitate end-of-life recycling (where possible).
Key to sustainability management is about continuously monitoring sustainability KPIs and look at improving areas that need enhancing.
Sustainability and waste reduction are becoming essential components of medical device manufacturing. By integrating sustainable practices throughout the design and manufacturing process, companies can not only comply with regulatory requirements but also achieve significant cost savings and improve their environmental footprint.
At Lawrence Engineering, we are committed to sustainability and are continually working to optimise our processes to reduce waste and improve efficiency. Learn more about our sustainability measures here.