Sustainability in the Medical Sensor Industry: Making Meaningful Change from the Factory to the Home

Sustainability is at the forefront of global agendas and thanks to technological advancements, our world is more connected than ever, fostering a collective responsibility toward future generations. Companies across the globe, including those in the medical product industry, are re-evaluating their practices to minimize their environmental impact.

In today’s landscape, energy reduction initiatives are now crucial to operations, whereas years ago they were a bonus. Sustainability efforts have also broadened in scope to include hazardous waste and operational waste diversion, such as targeting zero waste to landfill, optimizing transportation methods, and ensuring greener product distribution. There has also been a transformation in how materials are handled, and how they are recycled or reused, which contributes to a more sustainable product life cycle. 

However, making sustainable progress does not come without its challenges. From disposable equipment to complex pharmaceuticals, the production of medical products often involves significant resource consumption and waste generation. Amidst these challenges, there are ways to ensure sustainability remains at top priority.

Set Realistic Sustainability Targets and Identify Areas Where Returns are Achievable.

Setting ambitious targets to minimize environmental impact is essential to becoming more sustainable. Oftentimes, these targets are set organization wide. However, it is important to ensure that each factory knows how they can actively contribute to meeting these goals. The whole is only as great as the sum of its parts and that could not be truer than with sustainability.

To begin, conduct a sustainability audit within each factory and determine what changes can be made to decrease environmental impact. Look to reduce energy consumption by prioritizing contracts with suppliers committed to renewable energy rather than oil and coal. From there, consider waste reduction and investing in materials that contain a high percentage of recycled resources. To minimize hazardous waste, enforce stringent standards with disposal companies, insisting on recycling or reusing hazardous waste rather than disposing of it. Additionally, it might be worthwhile to explore alternative testing methods instead of using SF6, an ozone-depleting substance. At TE, we have invested in the reduction of energy use, waste, water usage, and greenhouse gas emissions in our factories. In fact, one of our factories in Germany is set to introduce a water recycling plant, which will save about two million gallons of water per year. 

Finally, consider how your products travel. Is there a way to reduce the amount of travel time overall to cut down on emissions? Are your products traveling on hybrid or electric vehicles? These are all important questions to ask as you look to lessen your ecological footprint. 

Evaluate Existing Products and Innovate New Products with a Purpose 

Within the medical industry, the role of sensors has become increasingly significant in the health care ecosystem as the world becomes more connected, intelligent, and automated. New sensor technologies are helping to lower costs, improve patient outcomes, and better manage health conditions by enabling deeper data-driven decisions. And believe it or not, sensors are a significant part of the equation for maintaining and improving sustainability.
 
As you travel down the road to a more sustainable future, be sure to look at the current products in your portfolio, dissecting them to even the smallest components such as sensors, to determine how you might be able to adapt those products to be more sustainable. Perhaps a new eco-friendly material is available today versus years ago when the product was developed. If that is the case, a switch to that material could not only help you reach your sustainability targets, but it could also positively impact the bottom line if there is a cost savings involved. Or maybe there is a company that is investing heavily in product or material sustainability and a shift to working with them could be a benefit to your organization.
 
From a product development perspective, gear engineers with the tools available to succeed. Today, computer programs can optimize product design to minimize material usage without compromising performance or robustness. Teams can create simulations of products that will cut down on CO2 emissions. From a sensor perspective, given the miniature size of these components, oftentimes the decrease of CO2 will be kilograms, but it is important to remember that small gains add up in the long run.
 
One key example of a sustainability-engineered solution is the reformulation of sensors used in minimally invasive equipment. Sterilization is vitally important in this area, and most products are single use. To sterilize equipment in sections, hospitals and medical facilities typically use electron beam radiation. However, this process can ruin sensors. At TE, our engineers are working on technologies that protect sensors from radiation. In these cases, some products are now available for triple use vs. single use. Although a slight improvement, it has the potential for a great sustainability impact as it reduces waste as well as energy consumption from product creation. 

Expand Your Impact with Solutions That Address Market Needs 

In recent years, the trend of home healthcare has become increasingly popular. Thanks to advanced sensors, devices such ranging from wearable fitness trackers to sophisticated home monitoring systems can improve access to care and potentially reduce the need for frequent visits to healthcare facilities. 
 
How does this play into sustainability? Let’s take for instance the example of dialysis. Dialysis is a highly effective treatment that helps the body remove fluid and waste products from the blood when the kidneys cannot. Despite its effectiveness, dialysis is demanding for patients, often necessitating treatment three times per week, with each session lasting three to five hours. 
 
The transition to home dialysis enables individuals to undergo treatment conveniently at home. From a sustainability perspective, the benefits are two-fold. Dialysis machines use a myriad of sensors, including air bubble detection sensors, force sensors, pressure sensors, and temperature sensors, which are critical to operation and allow the dialysis machine to function optimally within the home environment. Designing these sensors using more eco-friendly materials, as mentioned above, can directly impact a company’s sustainability progress. But beyond that, home dialysis cuts down on travel times to and from doctor’s visits, effectively reducing carbon emissions. It also reduces the energy and resources required to operate dialysis centers and the waste generated at these facilities. 

Engage Employees, Customers, and Suppliers 

Finally, a sustainability mindset drives behaviors and decisions across an organization, and engaging key internal and external stakeholders is crucial to continuous improvement. Be sure to seek out employees who are enthusiastic about sustainability. Luckily, sustainability is included in many of today’s educational curriculums, and recent graduates are looking for companies that are committed to and actively pursuing greener solutions. 

Similarly, effective communication of sustainability progress is also crucial with customers and suppliers. Demonstrating the impacts of products and services can inspire others to reduce their carbon footprints. Moreover, sharing case studies with customers and suppliers based on your own success may just be the push they need to implement sustainability measures within their organization. 
All in all, as you consider how your organization can make an impact and contribute to a more sustainable tomorrow, it’s important to look at the big picture and realize that even small wins lead to collective gains. In today’s competitive landscape, sustainability initiatives not only win business, but also talent. With clear goals, engaged stakeholders, and thoughtful innovations making meaningful progress across all facets of operations is both achievable and worthwhile. 

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Steve Detsicas is the Director of Global Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) & Sustainability for TE Sensors, a division of TE Connectivity, a $1 billion provider of advanced sensors for the industrial, medical, and transportation markets. He is a seasoned (EHS) Leader with 25+ years of global experience at the corporate and factory level. His expertise is creating sustainable, injury-free workplaces through proactive EHS management systems.