The International standard for environmentally conscious design of electronic medical equipment called the IEC 60601-1-9 first published in 2007 is considered to be the global benchmark for companies designing sustainable medical equipment.
The standard requires manufacturers of medical devices to consider the environmental impacts of their devices throughout the product life cycle to minimize environmental impact.
A 3rd addition of IEC 60601-1 has been released, which is a mandatory standard for medical electrical equipment. It will be introduced into Europe and Canada on the 1st of June 2012 and in the US on the 1st of July 2013. In order to show that they have complied with IEC 60601-1 manufacturers must apply a risk management process to their device, which must be kept on file. Failure to provide a risk assessment will result in the refusal of certification.
Any companies registering new medical products in the industry have an obligation to meet part 9 of the IEC 60601 standard. This is not necessarily an easy task as traditional forms of life cycle analysis are costly and take time.
The LCA Calculator is an intuitive tool that can help companies meet the standards set in IEC 60601-1-9 regarding medical Eco design. LCAs can be carried out quickly and efficiently when their impact is greatest – at the design stage. With the impending legislation it is important for companies to think about the most appropriate tool they can implement quickly at a minimal cost. The LCA Calculator is a tool which offers this service.
