Garbage Out, Repurposing In
The carbon footprint of life sciences and biotech industries can be reduced by up to 80% by redeploying the equipment depending on its residual value and the customer needs. A waste plan is critical to sustaining this positive initiative. For the global life sciences market, savings on carbon fees as well as direct benefits to the customer can be as much as $2 billion annually. Circular Surplus Asset Management (CE-SAM) can be a business game-changer if it is integrated as part of an organization’s strategy. It is this premise that makes REUZEit a key contributor to long-term sustainability.
The Circular Economy
The REUZEit End-of-Life Asset Solutions platform establishes best practices for using, repurposing, and disposing of biotech and pharmaceutical equipment to control costs, reduce risk, and improve efficiency. Reclaiming medical equipment has an important role in lowering medical costs and reducing the carbon footprint of healthcare. Using recovered medical equipment generates less solid waste and helps to reduce pollution caused by the extraction and processing of raw materials. Also, when products are recycled, less energy is used for manufacturing, and fewer pollutants are emitted. This is the power of Reclaim, Reuse, Repurpose when done correctly. It’s what we call the “Lifecycle Extension.”
Good for Business, Good for Sustainability, Good for the Earth
When businesses reuse and redistribute equipment, they get the most out of their investment, maximizing productivity while also maximizing our planet’s precious resources. We provide the online solution and marketplace for businesses to search and redeploy their excess assets. Every time we REUZEit, we replace the need to strip, build, and buy new while also slowing the rate of manufacturing waste and pollution to manageable levels. That’s good for business, good for sustainable growth, and good for the earth.
There is an estimated 40% of medical equipment in developing countries that is no longer in use due to a lack of parts or service. Breakdowns can occur at any stage in a complex system of medical equipment recycling, resulting in a mismatch between aims and usability. The lack of adequate medical devices and the impact on health outcomes in low-income countries especially are becoming more
apparent as countries assess their health systems’ capabilities in response to a global pandemic. A supply chain that assures access to high-quality, safe, and dependable medical equipment is important to sustaining these health systems. Every time we REUZEit, we replace the need to strip, build, and buy new while also slowing the rate of manufacturing waste and pollution to manageable levels. That’s good for business, good for sustainable growth, and good for the earth. Together, with our global clients, REUZEit provides a physically executed active platform connecting big industry players together to redistribute equipment, recovering capital from surplus equipment, extending the useful lifespan of our equipment and our natural resources. As we build the future Circular Economy, we can reduce barriers of entry to support redistribution models and innovation in the developing world, reduce waste of valuable-but-toxic materials, and we’ll establish an economy that makes full use of the things we build.
Keeping a piece of equipment in use, either by redeploying within the company or selling in the used market, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 23.1 times compared to recycling.
The GHG emissions reduction from reusing just one metric ton of equipment is the equivalent of:
- Powering almost 32 households for one year
- Removing over 57 passenger cars from the road for 1 year
- Planting 4,361 tree seedlings and growing for 10 years
The coronavirus pandemic impacted not only healthcare around the world, but there are now an estimated 500,000 young people aged 16-24 who are out of work. Instead of propping up declining, polluting industries, we can benefit our planet and our future generations by investing in more green jobs. Young adults are often being taught, and given career advice on, jobs that likely will not exist a decade from now. Instead, we could be training them to succeed in a sustainable, circular economy while at the same time ensuring the future health of our planet. Keeping medical devices in circulation for as long as they are viable will relieve the massive amounts of medical waste produced daily and drive a circular economy. Someday, future generations will look back to now and say, “This is when industries began redistribution. This is when we finally changed our wasteful habits for a real solution; a circular economy to sustain our planet.”
“Last Life” equipment cannot be rehabilitated and is headed to the landfill despite our best efforts, unless someone rescues it. Up-cyclers, movie props, museums, artists…find one piece to take home, and you’ve made an impact!
Of the most recognized End-of-Life options for e-waste, recycling generates the least amount of greenhouse gases that fuel climate change and expand companies’ carbon footprint. Up to 566 times lower emissions compared to placing that equipment in a landfill!
What about individuals? What can we do to pitch in and help save the Earth? There are plenty of things you can do every day to help reduce your carbon footprint to make a less harmful impact on the environment. By purchasing reusable and recycled materials, consumers can help close the recycling circle, and encourage our neighbors to do the same.
For more information or to Join this REUZE Revolution, please visit us at www.REUZEit.com
