Design Life-Cycle

 A Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable Razors

Disposable razors are a product that can be found in almost any average bathroom. We purchase the product in a store, use the product for removing unwanted body and facial hair until it eventually dulls, and then we toss it in the bathroom trash, unaware of where it goes or where it came from. But what really goes into making one of these seemingly mundane disposable razors and what happens to it after it’s tossed in the trash? In this paper, this will be exactly what we will discuss, from what materials go into making a disposable razor and how they are made, to what happens to it after it’s tossed out, and all the energy and waste that is used and expelled throughout its lifecycle.

Olivia Easterby

Professor Cogdell

DES40A, A02

4 December, 2019

Materials

The materials used in the production of disposable razors are limited due to the products simplicity however, many of the materials are unsustainable in that they are not biodegradable or easily recyclable, and require heavy energy input to manufacture. In this life cycle breakdown, I will be discussing what materials go into the making of disposable razors and what processes the materials go through in the operation of making a disposable razor. 

There are three main components in a disposable razor. The blades, which are made from a carbide steel made using tungsten carbide, the handle, which is made from a combination of plastics such as polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide (PPO), and the cartridge, which is made up of these plastics and sometimes the carbide steel as well (“Safety Razor”, madehow.com). These few simple materials go through processes of heating, cooling, moulding, cutting, and sharpening throughout their manufacturing process to eventually become the handle, razor blades, and blade cartridge, that will then be assembled to become a disposable razor. 

To begin the process of creating the razor blades, tungsten carbide, which is the metal that the blades and other optional components are made of, must first be manufactured. Tungsten carbide is a carbide compound, made up of equal parts of tungsten and carbon. It’s an extremely strong and durable metal compound, making it perfect for the use of razor blades (Siddle, “How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?”; “Tungsten Carbide.” Wikipedia.org). To begin the process of making tungsten carbide, the tungsten must first be extracted. Most tungsten, about 85%, is extracted from various ores in China (Siddle, “How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?”). Once extracted, the tungsten is then shipped to a desired location for it to be manufactured into the metal compound. 

To begin the process of creating the metal, the tungsten is purified and ground into a fine powder. To create the metal compound, carbon is added to the purified tungsten in a complex chemical process where the materials are heated to over 2,200 degrees celsius. The tungsten carbide is then ground into an extremely fine powder in a wet mill process, where metal binders and other metals such as cobalt may be added to increase the metal’s strength and durability and to help hold the powder together when it is shaped. The powder is then shaped, usually by the process of die stamping. The metal is not yet to its final form, as it is still greatly held together by the previously added binders. To bring the metal to its final form, it is heated to extremely high temperatures to remove the binders, and to mold the metal particles together, in turn, creating a very strong and durable metal compound (Siddle, “How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?”).

To start the process of making the blades, tungsten carbide is melted at high temperatures. It is at this stage that very small amounts of other metals such as iron, silicon, and chromium may be added to the carbide to increase its strength and durability. The metal liquid then goes through a strengthening process called annealing. In this process, the metal “is heated to temperatures of 1,967-2,048°F (1,075-1,120°C), then quenched in water to a temperature between -76- -112° F (-60- -80° C) to harden it. The next step is to temper the steel at a temperature of 482-752°F (250- 400°C)” and pressed into thin sheets” (“Safety Razor”, madehow.com). The sheets are then cut out using a process called die stamping, using a tool called a die stamp which is “a special, one-of-a-kind precision tool that cuts and forms sheet metal into a desired shape or profile”, where the blades are “die stamped at a rate of 800-1,200 strokes a minute” into the desired shape and size (Hedrick, “Die Basics 101: Intro to Stamping.”). The metal that can be used in the cartridge is also cut out during this stage. The blades are then carefully sharpened to create the razor blades. 

There are three main materials used in the plastic handle and the cartridge of the disposable razor. One of the materials used is polypropylene, “a thermoplastic ‘addition polymer’ made from the combination of propylene monomers” (Creative Mechanisms Staff, creativemechanisms.com). It has a low density and is quite flexible and heat resistant, therefore making it an easily moulded and extruded material. It is “resistant to fats and almost all organic solvents” which helps it hold up in the damp and warm conditions of a bathroom and shower (“Polypropylene.” Wikipedia.org). Polypropylene is recyclable with the resin code of 5, which is it’s numbered identification code that is used to identify what resins plastic products are made of, and indicate how they are recycled. Despite its ability to be recycled, it often ends up in the landfill as many people don’t know how to properly recycle it, people are too lazy to recycle, or the plastics aren’t labeled properly (“Polypropylene.” Wikipedia). Once in the landfill, it usually takes around 20-30 years to breakdown. The 1% of the material that is recycled however, goes through a 5 step recycling process which is “collecting, sorting, cleaning, reprocessing, and producing new products”. The polypropylene is sorted during recycling using a float test that separates it from other materials based on its ability to float due to its weight, then it is often melted down and reused in other product manufacturing. The major problem with recycling this plastic however, is that during the heating process, the plastic degrades in quality making it less valuable (“What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal?”, AZoM.com).  

Another material used is polystyrene. Polystyrene is “a naturally transparent thermoplastic that is available as both a typical solid plastic as well in the form of a rigid foam material” (Rodgers, “Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS).”). It is cheap and highly versatile, and can either be hard plastic material, or a soft foam material, making it one of the most common plastic materials manufactured and used (“What Is Polystyrene?: Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts”, ChemicalSafetyFacts.org,). Polystyrene is not biodegradable and takes hundreds of years to break down. It is also often not accepted in curbside recycling, and even when it is, it is not separated and recycled when it reaches the dumping station, making it an unsustainable and wasteful material (“Polystyrene.” Wikipedia.org). 

Phenylene oxide, or PPO, is another common plastic material used in disposable razors. It is a thermoplastic that exhibits “high heat resistance, dimensional stability, and accuracy” and is often combined with other plastics, such as polystyrene, due to various problems in its processing (“Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide”, Wikipedia.org). It is used in razor manufacturing mainly due to its high heat and water resistance, making it ideal for the conditions the product is used in. There is no public data entailing the details of this plastic’s recyclability. 

To make the handle and cartridges, these various plastics are heated together and melted together along with optional colorants and various filler materials. This liquid material is then injected into moulds, or extruded through moulds, where it will cool and take the form of the desired cartridge and handle shape. Once the plastic has cooled, the pieces are released from the moulds. Any extra plastic will be discarded, remelted, and reused (“Safety Razor”, madehow.com). 

The next step in the process is the assembly of all the parts. Once all the components of the razor have been made, the components go to various stations where different tasks will be performed. The metal and plastic components of the cartridges will be assembled, where they will then go to the next station where the blades will be inserted. Depending upon on how the razor is packaged, the finished cartridge may or may not be assembled onto the handle of the razor, as some companies choose to package the handle detached the cartridge(s). Next, the razors will be tested for flaws, strength, and razor hardness and sharpness (“Safety Razor”, madehow.com). Manufacturers can do this solely by machine or by human eye/hand plus machine for extra quality assurance. Finally, the razors are packaged in cardboard and plastic, and shipped out to stores and markets globally for customers to purchase and use. 

Overall, while the materials for disposable razors are few, and the product’s basic design makes it appear simplistic, the product’s lifecycle is far from simple. To go from raw materials to final product involves many steps and heavy energy input. A major flaw in the disposable razors design is in fact its inability to be sustainably and properly disposed, despite what its name suggests. The mixed plastics used in most of the razor take hundreds of years to break down in landfill, and the blades, while the metal is recyclable if separated from the rest of the product, poses a safety hazard for both the consumer and the employees who handle recyclables. The product fails to include proper instructions for its waste management, causing it to be disposed of, as the name suggests. Being that it is such a common and quickly replaced product, this is is a major issue in terms of waste. To aid in solving this issue, I believe consumers should stray away from wasteful disposable razors and be encouraged to go with more sustainable and longer lasting options such as classic safety razors.

Works Cited

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Tungsten Carbide.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 17 Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/tungsten-carbide.

Hedrick, Art. “Die Basics 101: Intro to Stamping.” The Fabricators, 18 July 2018, www.thefabricator.com/thefabricator/article/stamping/die-basics-101-intro-to-stamping.

“Here's How to Keep Your Razors from Contributing to Landfill Waste.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 7 Aug. 2019, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/07/landfill-waste-how-prevent-disposable-razor-plastic-pollution/1943345001/.

“How One Facility Completely Eliminated the Use of TCE Schick Razor Blade Manufacturing in Knoxville, Tennessee.” 2017.

Löv, Andrea Lind, and Tigist Fetene. “A Comparison Life Cycle Assessment between Razor Blade and Electric Shaver.” Dec. 2012.

“Manufacturing Processes (RAZOR): KAI FACTORY: KAI Group.” KAI FACTORY | KAI Group, www.kai-group.com/global/en/kai-factory/process/razor/.

“Poly(p-Phenylene Oxide).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(p-phenylene_oxide).

“Poly(Phenylene Oxide).” The Polymer Science Learning Center, www.pslc.ws/macrog/ppo.htm.

“Polypropylene.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene.

“Polystyrene.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene.

“Redesigning the Razor – Life Cycle Assessment.” The Great Recovery, http://www.greatrecovery.org.uk/resources/3682/.

Rogers, Tony. “Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS).” Everything You Need To Know About Polystyrene (PS), 5 Nov. 2015, https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/polystyrene-ps-plastic.

“Safety Razor.” How Products Are Made, www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html.

Siddle, Dave. “How Is Tungsten Carbide Formed?” Chronicle, 20 Aug. 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/how-is-tungsten-carbide-formed/.

Siddle, Dave. “‘What Is Tungsten Carbide?" You Asked, We Answered.” Chronicle, 12 June 2015, chronicle.kennametal.com/what-is-tungsten-carbide-you-asked-we-answered/.

Staff, Creative Mechanisms. “Everything You Need To Know About Polypropylene (PP) Plastic.” Everything You Need To Know About Polypropylene (PP) Plastic, https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/all-about-polypropylene-pp-plastic.

“Sustainable Development at BIC .” 6 Jan. 2011.

Thomas, G.P. “Recycling of Polypropylene (PP).” AZoCleantech.com, 25 June 2012, www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=240.

“Tungsten Carbide.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungsten_carbide.

“What Is Polystyrene?: Uses, Benefits, and Safety Facts.” ChemicalSafetyFacts.org, 17 June 2019, www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/.

“What Is Tungsten Carbide or Hard Metal?” AZoM.com, 2 Aug. 2009, https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=4827.

Efren Vargas

Professor Cogdell

SAS 043

4 December 2019

Energy

BIC is a French manufacturing company that produces a variety of disposable consumer products like pens, lighters and disposable razors. One of their most popular products is the disposable razor, which they started to manufacture in 1975. Since then, around 60 billion razors have been produced, distributed, and sold worldwide. BIC currently holds around 11 percent market share in disposable razors (Nash). BIC states that it prides itself on producing affordable, safe, and quality razors for its customers worldwide. However, they also affirmed that they strive to make their products with an “eco-design” approach by using recycled materials or bioplastics in their different products (For You for Everyone Registration Document). BIC is voicing their concern about the environmental impact that their large production goals can have. BIC may be doing as much as possible to lessen the impact of the production of disposable razors, but due to the massive production it will because unsustainable, because of the energy input, material consumptions, and unrecyclable nature of disposable razors.

In my research, I was not able to find specifics about where BIC sources their materials, I believe that this is due to them being a global company. There could be hundreds of different sources for their materials. However, it is fairly easy to find what the disposable razors components are made of, due to its simplicity. There are only two components for the BIC disposable razors which are the plastic body and razor blade. The specific type or blend of plastic for BIC razors is used is called polystyrene (Europe). The metal used for the razor blades is called Tungsten Carbide which is used in wear applications, such as shaving (Safety Razor).

During production, two components have to be created which are the blade and the plastic body. Production of razor blades across the industry is fairly standard. It all starts with the melting and combining of the desired metal. The metal is then heated and then cooled slowly to remove any internal stress, which makes it tougher, this process is called annealing (Safety Razor). After that, the metal is pressed down to the desired blade thickness which is around 1mm (Manufacturing Processes). Holes are then punched into the metal and the tapelike sheets of razors are then put in a roll (Manufacturing Processes). The metal is heated to a temperature of 1967-2048 degrees Fahrenheit and tungsten carbide has a specific heat of 0.226 BTU/lb/Fahrenheit (Safety razor). This means that it takes around 1 BTU to heat a 0.035-ounce razor blade to the desired temperature (Julabo et.al). The metal is then quenched in water to bring it to -76 to -112 degrees Fahrenheit to harden the material (Safety Razor). After that the blades go through a blade edging process, which consists of the blade strips first being coarsely ground by whetstone, second being ground at an angle with a finer whetstone, and then having the tip of the blades ground (Manufacturing Processes). The next step the blade goes through is called polishing in which is done using strops made out of cowhide to get the desired blade edge shape, the blade is then cut into the sizes of the individual blades, which are then sent off to be inspected. In BIC factories they pride themselves in producing a quality product, so the blades go through a series of highly precise visual inspections with cameras which help with rejecting blades that do not meet BIC standards (“Case Studies”) After that they go through visual inspection is done be BIC employees to reject any blades that the cameras were not rejected by the inspection camera system, the blades are then send off to be coated and burned. After getting the sharpened blade they are coated with a thin film to allows them to not lose sharpness after only a few shaves (Manufacturing Processes). There is also an additional resin called fluorine resin that is applied to the blades, which allows them to freely glide on the skin. At the end of applying the additives, the blades are once again heated, to cement the coating onto the blade. I found information about the whole blade manufacturing process, but could not find details about energy consumption in every step of the process

.

The second component of the razor is the plastic body which is made of a fairly inexpensive plastic called polystyrene. Disposable BIC razors are hollow and made using injection molding, but making the razors hollow is only possible because of the fluid nature of polystyrene (“The Bic Razor, Still the Sharpest of the Bunch.”). During the research, I could not find how much energy BIC injection molding machines use, but I did find the energy usage of a common injection molding machine called the Babyplast. The total energy consumption of the Babyplast in its four-step molding cycle of setup, fill, cool, and reset was approximately 4.5 kilowatts (Weissman et.al). This is only the operational energy consumption, but you still have to take into account all the energy used in the design and installation of the machinery. After the plastic body is manufactured it goes through inspections similar to ones the blades go through. Camera visual inspection is performed and This is all to ensure BIC’s quality standards are being met and ensure a quality product. 

After the parts are manufactured it is time for the final product assembly. In the case of the disposable razor however, it is fairly simple due to its nature. All that is needed is the insertion of the razor blade into the plastic body. This is done on an assembly line by the robotic arm the inserts the razor blade into the small crevices in the plastic body. I could however not find any details about the energy consumption of the machines used in the assembly process. The final product is then gathered and prepared to go through the final step which is the packaging of razors. This is where the razors are portioned into their desired packaging amounts, that will be sent off to consumers. BIC has noted however that they strive to be as efficient with materials used when it comes to their packaging. 

BIC has reported their total energy usage and carbon footprint in their factories around the world, this was all however for the year 2016. They have estimated that they expend around 11.77 gigajoules of energy per ton of their products that they produce (For You For Everyone Registration Document) The BIC report also categorized the energy where they obtained the energy. 85 percent of the energy came from electricity, 14 percent came from gas, and the rest came from fuel oil (For You For Everyone Registration Document). The carbon footprint reported was separated into two sections which are direct and indirect emissions. Direct emissions refer to any emissions that resulted from the burning of fossil fuels and Indirect emissions refer to any emissions that resulted from the generation of electricity. The total amount of Direct emissions from BIC factories was 8,689 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). The total amount of indirect emissions was 89,762 tonnes of carbon dioxide (For You For Everyone Registration Document). 

After the products are packaged, there has to be a way for them to get to the end consumer. There are various ways that the product can get there. There are land, air, and water-based transportation methods. A combination of transportation methods is used depending on where the product needs to go. Since BIC’s products do not go to a single location it is impossible to give an exact number for BIC’s energy usage in transportation. However, we can discuss the energy usage of different modes of transportation. Cargo planes and other transport aircraft use jet fuel which produces 135,000 BTU per gallon (“Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.”). Land transport like trains and trucks use diesel as fuel and that produced 138,700 BTU (“Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.”). Marine cargo ships use a fuel called heavy fuel oil which produces around 145,000 BTU per gallon (“Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.”). An exact number for the energy use for BIC was not obtained. However, BIC did report some of its transportation statistics. BIC said that around 98 percent of its intercompany product transfer was done by transportation methods that were not related to air-freight (For You For Everyone Registration Document). By not using air travel and transport, BIC greatly reduces their energy usage and carbon footprint at the same time.

After the products make their way to consumers and serve their purpose, the waste must be dealt with. Due to the nature of the disposable razor, they are usually just thrown in the trash and sent off to a landfill. BIC has repeatedly come under fire because of the environmental impact their disposable razors have, due to the sheer amount of their disposable products are used every year. The number of BIC razors that are used by consumers is astounding. BIC reported that every year around 2.6 billion of their razors are chosen by consumers every year (Shaver's). Of course the 2.6 billion razors were not, all the same, however, we can still give a ballpark estimate of how many tonnes of plastic/metal waste is being produced every year. BIC reported that the weight of one of their most popular disposable razors is 8.8 grams (Shavers). If all 2.6 billion of those razors each weight 8.8 grams, then the total amount of waste produced would be around 25,220 tonnes. Most of those razors just end up in a landfill because most countries are not recycling them. The newest effort to recycle disposable razors is being done in France by BIC, but the company has said that they do not plan on unveiling a recycling program anywhere else yet (Powers). 

Waste is not only a problem when a product is disposed of, but also when it is initially manufactured. BIC put out a report detailing how they deal with the waste from their factories. The company reported that with their hazardous waste in 2016 11 percent was recycled, 49 percent incinerated with energy recovery, 8 percent sent to land disposal, and 32 percent was sent off to be treated in another way (For You for Everyone Registration Document). They also reported how they dealt with their non-hazardous waste 76 percent was recycled, 11 percent incineration with energy recovery, 10 percent was sent to land disposal, and the remaining 3 percent was sent off for a different treatment (For You for Everyone Registration Document). BIC has done their best to deal with waste in an environmentally conscious manner.

Overall BIC is an industry leader when it comes to reducing the environmental impact that their disposable products make. This is shown through their commitment to their eco-design process and new recycling programs that are undergoing testing. However, the viability of the disposable razor is always thrown into question because of the sheer amount of resources that it expends. There much environmentally friendly options when it comes to shavings, such as the traditional safety razor and straight razors, which can have a much longer life than disposable razors. The use of disposable razors is unsustainable with our growing population and increased demand.

In this paper, many details about the life cycle stages were not included. This is because of the complexity of the life cycle, from the acquisition of materials to the management of a product at the end of its life. There are so many variables that you have to take into account when calculating how much of an impact a product is having on the environment and our resources. 

Works Cited

“Case Studies.” Case Studies : Reducing BIC's Rejection Rates | KEYENCE America, www.keyence.com/solutions/case-studies/bic.jsp.

“Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation.” Energy Consumption by Mode of Transportation | Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, www.bts.gov/content/energy-consumption-mode-transportation.

Europe, Plastic News. “Bic Disposable Razor (1975).” Plastics News Europe, 19 Nov. 2009, www.plasticsnewseurope.com/article/20091119/PNE/311199986/bic-disposable-razor-1975.

For You for Everyone Registration Document. BIC Group, 2016, For You For Everyone Registration Document.

Julabo Gmbh, et al. “Properties: Tungsten Carbide-An Overview.” AZoM.com, 25 Nov. 2019, www.azom.com/properties.aspx?ArticleID=1203.

“Manufacturing Processes (RAZOR): KAI FACTORY: KAI Group.” KAI FACTORY | KAI Group, www.kai-group.com/global/en/kai-factory/process/razor/.

Nash, Nathaniel C. “HOW BIC LOST THE EDGE TO GILLETTE.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Apr. 1982, www.nytimes.com/1982/04/11/business/how-bic-lost-the-edge-to-gillette.html.

Powers, Matt, and Amanda M. “Can You Recycle Disposable Razors?” Earth911.Com, 30     July 2019, earth911.com/living-well-being/health/can-you-recycle-disposable-razors/.

“Safety Razor.” How Products Are Made www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Safety-Razor.html.

“Shavers.” BICWorld, www.bicworld.com/en/our-products/shavers.

Sustainable Development Report. BIC Group, 2016, Sustainable Development Report.

“The Bic Razor, Still the Sharpest of the Bunch.” Plastics Le Mag, 31 Jan. 2017, plastics-themag.com/The-Bic-razor-still-the-sharpest-of-the-bunch.

Weissman, Alexander, et al. A SYSTEMATIC METHODOLOGY FOR ACCURATE DESIGN-STAGE ESTIMATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR INJECTION MOLDED PARTS.

Bianca Smith

Professor Cogdell

DES 40A, A02

4 December 2019

Waste and Emissions

Disposable razors are a commonly used item for most Americans, and over two billion razors are thrown away every year in the United States (Shabecoff). Their disposable nature causes them to be put into landfills faster than it takes them to be made, packaged, and shipped. Razor blades dull quickly after repeated use, and are recommended to be used only three to ten times, making them a cheap alternative to reusable cartridges. Yet, as they are designed to be thrown away after use, a question is raised of their fast accumulating waste and its impact on the environment. Through an examination of how the raw materials: carbide steel, tungsten steel, and a combination of the plastics: polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide of the razors decompose, and how much waste is accumulated in making the razors, an assessment can be made for the duration of their life cycle. The designed short user-time of disposable razors, causes their life cycle to be spent mostly in the landfill where they will remain for hundreds of years due to non-biodegradable plastic, however, recycling the plastic and steel is possible if sent to specific recycling facilities, which could reduce the life cycle and negative impact on the environment.    

The life cycle for disposable razors must first be assessed by the product’s design. Disposable razors are created for a short user time, and an easy answer to the growing population’s fast paced lifestyles and needs for shaving: “they are primarily designed to be simple, economical, and disposable” (Safety Razor). On the Venus Gillette company website, they provide the buyer with a guide for choosing which razor is best by asking: “When it comes to choosing a razor, how do you know if a disposable or reusable razor is right for you?” (“What's the Difference Between Disposable and Reusable Razors for Women?” Venus) This question, however, only affects the buyer’s short usage time, and does not provide any information as to the rest of the razor’s life-cycle after they are ready for a new razor blade and they: “throw away the entire razor and grab a new one” as recommended by the manufacturer (Venus). The Bic USA’s company website provides information about the making of the razors in the factories, regarding their inspection and factory standards, yet there is no mention for the environmental impact of the disposal. The buyer online is not exposed to the long lasting waste of the razors after they are thrown out. However, given the environmental toll to such a fast accumulating, and non-biodegradable product, waste management must be more considered by both the manufacturer’s and the buyers.

Disposable razors are made up of three components: a hollowed plastic handle, the razor blade, and the plastic head of the razor that holds the blade (Safety Razor). The blade is made from a tungsten steel, and carbon alloy. Tungsten is a natural metal deposit that is found in metamorphic, and granitic igneous rocks, primarily in China, Russia, South Korea, South America, and the Rocky Mountains in the United States. The metal must be mined and extracted from the mountain causing an emission of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases (Wang). Tungsten has a high melting point and is used mainly for strong tools unless used for smaller applications when combined with a carbon alloy: “Its alloys are employed in rocket-engine nozzles and other aerospace applications” (Safety Razors).  The carbon alloy allows for the metal to be strong enough to be exposed to high levels of moisture without corroding, yet brittle enough to be made into thin blades for a multiple blade razor (Safety Razor). The alloy must allow for easy manufacturing due to the high demand of disposable razors and enough strength to last through transportation and shelf holding. All of which provides an easy user experience, but, takes a toll on the planet. From mining and extracting the natural tungsten metal, to making the metal alloy and manufacturing just the blade, waste is released. 

Erosion time for the blades was difficult to find, yet tungsten steel does erode faster than the plastic elements to the disposable razor due to the carbon alloy’s brittle makeup. The alloy is strong enough to resist moisture for a short time in the buyer’s shower, yet, in the landfill, it does eventually rust and decompose. According to studies done by the EPA, tungsten steel was originally tested as a “stable metal in soil that does not dissolve easily in water” (EPA). Yet, tungsten has been found to deposit particles into the soil that causes some contamination, making it a recent concern to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The studies have not found it to be harmful to drinking water, or public safety, however, it is an ongoing research of soil data that continues. The EPA has said in their 2014 report: “Currently, little information is available about the fate and transport of tungsten in the environment and its effects on human health. Research about tungsten is ongoing and includes health effects and risks, degradation processes and an inventory of its use in the defense industry as a substitute for lead-based munitions” (EPA). The blades do eventually dissipate within the landfill, yet, it is not cost-free, as the tungsten waste can be ultimately harmful to the environment. 

The plastic handle and head of the disposable razor consists of a hybrid of polypropylene, polystyrene, and phenylene oxide, also known as PPO. They are resins that maintain a high dimensional stability, which helps create fast and cheap plastic razor handles (Safety Razor). The plastic, however stable for the user, remains stable long after it is thrown away as well. Information on PPO plastics are difficult to find, as most of the data is about how it is made, and the chemical makeup and stability of the plastic, rather than information on the decomposition rate or waste used in the making of it. PPO elements of the disposable razor are hard to determine in years, however, data shows that most plastic items take up to 1,000 years to begin to decompose (LeBlanc). Because of its high stability, PPO is a very widely used plastic for many different household items. The razors are mainly made of plastic, so they will be decomposing at a very slow rate in the landfill. What makes for an easy, simple, and affordable mass produced and used product costs more in its long afterlife in the landfill, out of sight of the buyer’s awareness.

More immediate levels of waste, however, happen during the processing of disposable razors before they are even brought to the buyer and the landfill. Bic USA’s 2016 registration document provides information about the waste produced during the manufacturing of the razors. Their carbon footprint was reported with the highest offender being air travel for the product, and staff transportation coming from France: accounting for 73% of the company’s annual greenhouse gas emissions (Bic). The remaining percentage is split up between energy consumption in their three facilities in: Clichy (France), Shelton (U.S.), and Cajamar (Brazil) (For You For Everyone: Registration Document, Bic). They report their waste production being at “340 tons, which represented an increase of 22% from 2015” (Bic). Bic did have an increase in non-hazardous waste due to: “expansion work or renovation of buildings or development of new products and manufacturing equipment” (“For You For Everyone: Registration Document,” Bic) For carbon footprint assessments for large companies, they are assessed on direct (scope 1) emissions and indirect (scope 2) emissions of greenhouse gases. Bic’s direct emissions were from: “a combustion of fossil fuels, primarily natural gas and fuel oil, mainly used to heat buildings. The total amount of direct GHG emissions in 2016 was estimated at 8,689 teqCO2, i.e. a 4.1%” (Bic). The indirect emissions were mostly from the electricity use in the factories. 

The actual making of the razors, and printing paper for their packaging has a lower environmental impact, than the waste from the factories high energy use. Flying staff to meetings, shipping, and distributing the product is the highest offender for the planet. Bic has attempted to lower their direct emissions by having factories world-wide and creating: “a “Transport Community” which connects shipping managers on each continent to raise control for greenhouse gas emissions, optimize shipments and routes, and use only responsible carriers” (Bic). Part of this responsible shipping mentality forces them to change their packaging to be able to ship more at a time. In 2016, Bic reduced packaging for their Soleil Razor by 40%. They have also reduced shipping time, by only sending the blades from Greece to Mexico to optimize the tools and products available in each location, instead of having all the materials shipped to each factory. The Bic corporation considers their environmental impact and takes steps to reduce as much waste as possible. However, by looking at just this one company, there is a sense of the massive amount of direct and indirect emissions from just the making of razors that are thrown away so quickly after use, with an increase annually of users. 

With the recommended use of three to ten uses for disposable razors, they quickly end up in the landfill to decompose. However, of the 2 billion razors disposed of annually, about 32% end up in the ocean (Kaplan). Pollution of the oceans from plastics has become an increasingly large issue that researchers are still assessing. The high levels of pollution from disposable razor blades alone caused the EPA to claim a national “garbage crisis” in the late 1980’s, and the actual figure of 2 billion razors thrown away every year dates back to the 1990’s. The EPA has now stopped tracking the: “impact of disposable razors on the environment and has no update on the figure” (Olsen). The tracking can come from sales, and in 2018 more than “$1.2 billion in disposable razors were sold in the U.S., with varying prices but many disposables costing less than $1 each” (Olsen). With the amount of waste accumulated from the factories and the bulk of the razors ending up in landfills and oceans, a low price of $1 removes the buyer from how high the cost on the environment a disposable razor is.  

The plastic and steel elements of the razor can be recycled, yet, because they are so lightweight and small it makes it hard to separate in the trash and unable to be recycled normally. However, because of the new awareness to their wasteful impact on the environment, some companies have begun to provide solutions to the disposable razor issue. Terracycle is a company that was created to address the issue of recyclable products that often end up in landfills. They have teamed up with Gillette to raise awareness about the massive waste of disposable razors by allowing users to mail their old razors in to be recycled. Anyone can send in razors of any kind, and the plastic and cardboard packaging as well. Once Terracycle has collected the waste, it is: “broken down and separated by material. Plastics are cleaned and pelletized to be recycled into new products, such as picnic tables and park benches. Metal materials are sent for smelting and conversion to new alloys” (Terracycle). The company urges users to mail packages over 15 lbs., in order to reduce the waste of mail as well, yet is not necessary. So, while this solution is not an easy fix, as it would require buyers to save their own waste, it does provide an alternative to the disposable razor waste crisis. 

In conclusion, disposable razors are being used and thrown away at a rate that is unsustainable for the finite space on the planet. The stability of the plastic components, while necessary for shelf stability and use, takes longer than one person’s life-span to decompose. This means, of the 2 billion razors disposed of annually within the United States, each razor will be on the planet longer than the people who used them. With such a fast accumulating waste and slow decomposition rate, there must be changes and incentive for companies to rethink the disposable razor. The high waste from manufacturing and shipping such a small, and cheap product is one that is negatively impacting the planet. There are some solutions and new recycling ideas, yet, the reduction of waste for disposable razors is still far off. The long and harmful life-cycle of disposable razors is not reflected to the buyer browsing aisles of fully stocked razor shelves. The cheap price of the razor does not reflect the high cost of its waste and impact on the environment. By raising awareness and creating locations where one can drop off used razors for recycling, perhaps a change can come. A new incentive must come for companies to be more sustainable with resources and create products that can still be cheap for the buyer, while also not taking a high cost on the environment. 

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