Medical Products & circular Solutions
A comprehensive understanding of the medical sector
Since our foundation, the field of medical devices has been a special focus of our work. Our aim is to develop better and more sustainable solutions for this area.
Valuable materials
Medical products contain a high proportion of valuable materials. These are not recycled as they are disposed of in the general waste streams. As a result, large amounts of valuable resources are lost in clinics and healthcare facilities. This use of materials does not correspond to the awareness of users, who are increasingly demanding more sustainable solutions.
Mixed material flows
The increasing amount of waste materials in hospitals also includes complex devices made of different materials. In addition, there is a high degree of mixing during the disposal itself, as there are no disposal systems in place to date that aim to preserve the value of the materials.
Unresolved situations
In the medical sector, the requirements of the Commercial Waste Ordinance for avoidance and material recycling are in direct conflict with the hygienic requirements of LAGA M18.
In order to develop appropriate solutions, there is a need for cooperation between manufacturers, clinics & disposal companies.
More than just partial solutions
Previous recycling approaches have largely consisted of partial steps, which usually only reflect the perspective of the individual actors. In order to create practical solutions, we consider the processes of manufacturers, users and disposal companies in equal measure.
Specialized in medical devices
The complex requirements of MDR, the Recycling Management Act and occupational health and safety regulations must be jointly taken into account when designing material flows for medical devices. To this end, we have built up expertise that includes research, piloting and waste law evaluations. Doctors and scientific research partners are part of our network.
Case study
With the SReS System IRED has developed a concrete recycling system for disposable medical instruments.
More content on this topic
Article medical-design.news : “Fraunhofer Institute starten Recycling-Plattform”
(External link – German language)
Article & Interview with mit Prof. Dr. Christian Johner : “Recycling und Entsorgung von Medizinprodukten: Wie Sie sich mit Müll einen Marktvorteil verschaffen”
(External link – German language)
Podcast with Prof. Dr. Christian Johner (Johner Institut) & Prof. Werner Lorke (IRED) : “Recycling und Entsorgung von Medizinprodukten”
(External link – German language)
Article Management & Krankenhaus : “Wertstoffe aus Medizinprodukten: Ein zweites Leben für Skalpell, Schere und Co. “
(External link – German language)
Article Management & Krankenhaus : “Recycling von Medizinprodukten – warum es sich doch lohnt”(Issue 3/2021 – Page 25)
(External link – German language)