Exposing the Deception Behind Medical Device Recycling Programs

The established environmentalism mantra of "reduce, re-use, recycle" has been exploited by medical device manufacturers to roll out recycling programs under the guise of sustainability efforts. However, these programs are not benefiting anyone except the manufacturers themselves. Hospitals would be better served by focusing on reuse and reprocessing programs, but in many cases, their hands are tied. Let's examine why this is the case and why this needs to change.

Uncovering the Hidden Agenda of Medical Device Recycling Programs

The Unsustainable Costs of Device Recycling

When it comes to medical devices, there are multiple concepts being employed in the name of sustainability, including reuse, reprocessing, and recycling. Recycling of medical devices is the most "expensive" sustainability solution for at least three reasons:Environmental: When a device is recycled, some materials (but not all) are recycled. This process involves a lot of energy consumption. Comparatively, reprocessed devices are a more environmentally friendly option and have less than half the environmental impact of a new device in terms of carbon emissions.Financial: With recycling, the hospital still has to purchase a new device. Comparatively, hospitals can buy reprocessed devices back at a fraction of the cost of a new device.Supply chain: When used devices are broken down to their component parts and recycled, these devices are taken out of the supply chain. At a time when hospitals experience backorders on some of their most critical devices, recycling seriously threatens supply chain resilience.

Physicians as Environmental Sustainability Champions in Healthcare

Physicians are becoming more committed to responsible environmental solutions as it relates to their device use. A recent study found that electrophysiologists are highly motivated to reduce the environmental impact of electrophysiology procedures, with 62% of the 278 physicians polled motivated to work toward more sustainable solutions. The re-use of catheters was the most commonly cited potential sustainability solution by the respondents.This is great news in labs where more than half of catheters used are discarded to medical waste, and less than 20% of catheters are re-used. There are two ways to increase re-use in the EP lab: Manufacturers can design and market reusable catheters instead of single-use catheters, or hospitals can work with reprocessing companies to use reprocessed single-use catheters.

The Manufacturer's Role in Perpetuating Unsustainable Programs

Some of the largest medical device manufacturers have started "sustainability programs" based on recycling of medical devices, seemingly in response to an increased demand for environmental sustainability in the hospital. However, these types of programs are not as good as they sound. In fact, they work counter to the intention and further exacerbate some rather serious problems in the supply chain. They do, however, ensure that the manufacturers can continue to grow their revenue.From an environmental perspective, recycling is a far less valuable circular solution than reprocessing. Devices from these programs will not be re-used, but rather broken apart, and the recyclable parts (less than 30% of residual hospital waste) will be used in the manufacture of other products. If, instead, the devices were reprocessed, the entire catheter would be salvaged and made available for another use with the use of very few resources.Since many single-use devices can be reprocessed and re-used, putting in place a recycling program simply means that the environmental benefit is lessened. A recycling program that implies that a new catheter will be needed. In other words: Every time a catheter is recycled rather than reprocessed, the hospital increases CO2 emissions significantly.So why would some of the largest suppliers of medical devices put a program in place that increases CO2 emissions and makes supplies scarce? It's a simple matter of math: Every time a medical device is recycled rather than reprocessed, the manufacturer increases its revenue while the hospital increases its costs. This is because the hospital cannot buy a reprocessed medical device at the lower price but must buy a new one. Possible supply shortages, environmental harm, and hospital economics are collateral damage.This is the only way medical device recycling programs make sense: when they make sense (and cents) for the manufacturer. Meanwhile, the environment, the hospital, and the patients must pay the price. It's time for this narrative to change.