Circular economy
The circular economy is crucial in the sustainable agenda and a policy area which Loughborough University is actively involved in. Working in collaboration with industry, government and fellow higher education instituters, we are using our expertise to accelerate the application of the circular economy in a range of areas.
Circular economy of small medical devices
The amount of small medical devices going to waste and contributing to the pollution of our land and rivers due to the rise in the range and number of devices used over the years.
Professor Shahin Rahimifard of Loughborough University's School of Wolfson, School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering is helping lead the ReMed project in collaboration with the University of Leeds which aims to tackle this problem by creating design processes and digital tools to limit the environmental impact of small medical devices.
ReMed are currently putting together a 'call to action' document aimed at influencing policy in the UK. They held their annual conference in December 2023 which brought together over 80 attendees from multiple sectors including academia, manufacturing, healthcare, waste management, reprocessing, design, and consultancy.
Presentations offered a broad range of content, exploring materials circularity, reprocessing medical devices, sustainability strategies within the medical device industry. Issues surrounding the environmental impact of medical disposal were discussed, including the negative effect PPE has had on the planet as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chemical circular economy
Loughborough University's are partners at the UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Chemical Economy.
The Centre has been engaging with policy audiences and has representation on the All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) on Energy Studies and Fairer Business Banking. It has also engaged with various governmental and non-governmental departments across the UK including HM's Treasury, thr Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, the Welsh Government and Zero Waste Scotland.