GAP Australasian Dentist Sept Oct 2020

80 Australasian Dentist sustainability T here are many different aspects to consider in guiding the individual to suitable oral hygiene products – the patient’s oral status, abilities, preferences, and motivation, as well as the design and efficacy of the device. How then does the environmental impact fit into the equation? All dental professionals are aware of the importance of plaque control to sustain periodontal health; successful prevention, treatment, and maintenance are all dependent on control of the biofilm. To enhance patient compliance and achieve positive results, it is central to recommend hygienic, safe, durable, and user-friendly products, efficient in reducing plaque without damaging either soft or hard tissues. Apart from the factors mentioned, there is another critical aspect to consider – the sustainability of the product. A high-quality product lasts longer and contributes to less waste. However, the material used, often plastic, has a decisive role from an environmental perspective. Let us look further into this matter. Assessing the environmental impact Plastic products and their environmental impact, also known as the carbon footprint, are currently high on the agenda. However, designing a product to leave a small and long-term sustain- able environmental footprint is not Designing for the environment – sustainability in plastic products By Patrik Werius MSc, Product Development Manager, TePe and Anna Nilvéus Olofsson DDS, Odont Lic, Manager Odontology and Scientific Affairs, TePe merely about using recycled material or stopping using plastic altogether. All too often, initiatives to reduce the footprint of a product – for instance, using paper or fabric bags instead of plastic bags – focus on one single aspect, resulting in disregard of other factors which may affect the envi- ronment even more. A resourceful tool to evaluate the impact is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is a way to systematically gather the environmental effects of different materials and energy throughout their life cycle. The LCA can provide a more accurate picture of the carbon footprint that a product leaves behind on its journey from cradle to grave. The greenhouse effect The life cycle assessment results in suggested measures to reduce the footprint, together with an analysis of the impact expressed as the Global Warming Potential (GWP). As different materials are incinerated, greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, where they absorb energy and warm the Earth like an insulating blanket. The GWP is a calculation of this effect. Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases can be a question of using limited amounts of materials or materials with lower impact – in any case, it is essential to see the big picture. Like many analysis methods, the LCA has its limitations. Not every factor can be translated into a number or fit into a model, and the LCA does not generally account for social implications. Despite this, the LCA is the closest there is to an efficient instrument for comparing the environmental effects of materials or processes. The GWP provides a standard unit of measure and is used by a growing number of suppliers and manufacturers. Changing from fossil to bio-based resources Plastic materials are still supreme in terms of hygiene, safety, quality, malleability, and costeffectiveness. However, as fossil resources are becoming scarcer and more expensive, the world of plastics is shifting towards alternative resources which can be generated quickly enough to keep up with the demand. There is a wide range of bio-based resources that can be turned into Absorbs C0 Burning Oil-based plastic (”normal” plastic) Plant-based plastic (bio plastic) Emits C0 Raw materials Photosynthesis Burning Emits C0 Recycle Plastic products Plastic products Raw materials (oil) Plastic granules Plastic granules OIL Recycle