Project Lead:

Prof. Dr. Daniel Fürstenau (Project Lead FUB, ECDF). PhD Fellow Camille Rønn

Project Team Members:

Prof. Christiane Lehrer (Partner), Attila Marton

Project Start:

10/2022

Project Description:

E-waste from digital health devices is a complex and growing problem that requires a holistic solution. E-waste from healthcare products may contain biological or chemical contaminants, which often leads to incineration – with or without energy recovery. This means that all items are destroyed.

DiCE was established to bring together key stakeholders and address the challenges associated with the increasing use of digital health products and the growing demand for raw materials needed to manufacture new electronic devices and other equipment.

The DiCE collaboration comprises 20 organisations from nine countries, representing industry, research and the recycling sector.

A key objective of DiCE is to extend product lifetimes as much as possible. The project focuses on testing and piloting solutions for the end of the product life cycle. It considers circular design, state-of-the-art refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling technologies to enable maximum recovery of the product, its components and – when reuse is no longer possible – its materials.

DiCE thus supports the transition from a fragmented, linear “Take-Make-Waste” business model towards a circular and sustainable model that enables the reuse of products as well as the recovery of components and raw materials.

Products in the Project Focus

• Digital Display Labels – electronic, non-medical devices that replace conventional paper-based labels. They are primarily used for medication kits in clinical research.

• Smart Wearable Sensor – a wearable, disposable sensor for patients who have been discharged from hospital. It enables comfortable recovery at home while simultaneously monitoring the patient’s vital signs.

• Smart Pillbox – a sensor-enabled pillbox with an integrated mobile app that tracks schedules and types of medication.

• Endocutter – a redesigned surgical stapling device used in minimally invasive and open surgical procedures, for example in gastroenterology or gynaecology.

• ECG Lead Set – a cable set that connects electrodes on a patient’s skin to a patient monitor in the hospital in order to measure the electrical activity of the heart.

• On-Body Drug Delivery System (OBDS) – a device that administers large volumes and/or viscous medications subcutaneously to a patient.

For further information, please visit the DiCE website.