With circular economy to more sustainability
The benefits of shifting from a linear to a circular economy.
In 1966, economist Kenneth E. Boulding used the metaphor “spaceship earth” to launch an idea into the global environmental debate: the circular economy. This concept offers multiple benefits for healthcare: It reduces the carbon footprint of the systems, helps healthcare providers improve their life cycle assessments, and increases access to innovative technology.
Now more than ever, the life cycle of a device becomes important. We should not look at equipment purchase as a one-time thing, but as something that has to provide results throughout the whole life of the device.
Andalusian Health Service in Spain
Extending life cycles is the foundation of circular economy
When purchasing equipment, we take into account aspects that were previously not considered, such as the concept of circular economy or energy consumption. Therefore, if such factors make a system more expensive than another system, we could still end up paying more for the device than for a system that is rated weaker for these factors. The key is to take into consideration the whole life cycle of the system and not just the purchase price.”
Andalusian Health Service in Spain
Keeping spare parts in the loop
Circular packaging
Would you like to learn more about the cicular economy?
Boulding, Kenneth E. (1966): The Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth. Available: http://arachnid.biosci.utexas.edu/courses/thoc/readings/boulding_spaceshipearth.pdf
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2023): What is a circular economy.
Available: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview
Siemens Healthineers Sustainability Report (2022): Designing products to allow circular approaches (p. 67).
Siemens Healthineers Sustainability Report (2022): Service parts cycle (p. 68). Available: https://corporate.webassets.siemens-healthineers.com/114b4cc42540096d/6fbe3389627c/Sustainabililty-Report-2022.pdf