Impact

A circular intervention strives to use as few disposable medical consumables as possible. To achieve this societal impact, we will in Esch-R gain scientific knowledge and clinical evidence about possible circular interventions such as changes in behaviour, business models, contract templates, product designs (medical consumables and its packaging) and process designs that facilitate the circular transition in healthcare. By the end of this project, we aim to have successfully developed interventions for at least 12 high-impact cases resulting in replacement of single use medical consumables.  

Assumptions connected to impact 1: 

i. The selected circular intervention will not negatively affect the quality of care towards patients and the workload of the staff. This will be included in the selection criteria for developing circular interventions and will be tested in the Living Labs (WP5). 

ii. The selected circular intervention will ensure responsible material use and healthcare remaining affordable. This will be included in the selection criteria for developing circular interventions and will be tested in the Living Labs (WP5). 

Therefore, we significantly contribute to the Green Deal Duurzame Zorg 3.0 by aiming to consume 50% less primary resources in 2030 compared to 2016 in the healthcare sector. We will approach this in two ways: by reducing virgin material consumption and by reducing waste, for example through reusing, repurposing or redesigning disposable medical consumables (10-Rs strategy).

Assumptions connected to impact 2: 

Healthcare professionals, waste processors and suppliers are open to change. Due to the ESCH-R project, patients that visit hospitals on a routine basis will observe this change. We assume patients will allow for these changes to occur. We assume healthcare professionals are willing to change their working routines (WP3). Together with industry we will design circular alternatives or redesign medical consumables. We assume waste processors and suppliers will be transparent and willing to collaborate to bring about change. This assumption will be tested (WP5) and, based upon the results, selection criteria are set up for circular medical consumables and tested in the Living Labs. 

During the project, we will investigate CO2 emissions in the environmental assessments of medical consumables. We will investigate environmental impacts such as air pollution (CH4, N2O, H2O and O3), water pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution and damage to ecosystems and loss of biodiversity during the life cycle of medical consumables. To achieve this societal impact, we will first have to gain scientific knowledge about the reduced environmental impact of circular interventions. By the end of this project, we aim to contribute to the Green Deal Duurzame Zorg 3.0, specifically to the ambition of reducing 55% CO2 emissions by hospitals by 2030.

Assumptions connected to impact 3: 

All negative environmental impacts can be reduced in the life cycle of disposable hospital consumables. For example, during the project we will apply the 10-Rs framework to transition from disposable medical consumables to circular alternatives. To achieve this transition, medical consumables will likely be handled differently, such as reusing, which might require cleaning and sterilisation. The increased consumption of water and energy that would result from this will be considered in the design of circular medical consumables in the Living Labs (WP2,5). Overall, we assume negative environmental impacts of medical consumables can be reduced. 

During our project we will become the frontrunner of circular interventions in hospitals. We will set a new standard for medical consumables aiming to make our findings an obligated new normal in policy, governance and product development. By using of circular medical consumables, hospitals will reduce their negative environmental impact but also improve resilience for times of product scarcity.

Assumptions connected to impact 4: 

1. Circular medical consumables replace single-use consumables. 
2. ESCH-R reduces the negative environmental impact of healthcare through its contribution to 50% less demand for virgin materials. 

iii. ESCH-R reduces the negative environmental impact of healthcare through its contribution to 55% CO2 emission reduction.