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Hospitals in the Netherlands generate approximately 1.3 million kg of waste from the polypropylene (PP) wrapping paper (WP) used to wrap surgical instruments each year. The aim of this study was to develop a method to recycle WP waste into new medical devices. WP was recovered from Maasstad Hospital, Netherlands. The WP was melted into bars, granulated, and mixed with virgin material at different ratios and temperatures. Dog bones were injection-molded from volume (v.%) virgin, mixed (%R), and recycled (100%R) granulate, and a tensile testing machine was used to compare the material properties before and after ten disinfection cycles at the sterilization department. Then, 25 instrument openers were made from the 50%R material and circulated for four weeks. The data indicated no significant differences in the mechanical properties at different melting temperatures. For dog bones made from the 100%R, 50%R, and virgin granulate, the Young's moduli were 1021 (SD13), 879 (SD13), and 795 (SD14) MPa, and the strains were 8%, 12%, and 14%. Ten disinfection cycles did not significantly change the material properties. After one month, the openers did not show any deterioration or damage other than surface scratches. The results indicated that the initial WP melting temperature did not influence the mechanical properties. Although devices could be produced directly from the recycled WP granulate, increasing the recycled granulate in the mix ratio increased the strength and brittleness. It is feasible to recycle WP waste into a high-quality raw material for the injection molding of medical devices without using additives. This would allow hospitals to become more compliant with the circular economy enabling economically viable and circular processes that positively contribute to cleaner technical processes, sustainable products, and the reduction of medical waste. ⁃ Circular reprocessing of surgical waste into high quality raw material. ⁃ Enables cleaner processes for reduction of medical waste. ⁃ Increases sustainable development. ⁃ A new method to decrease the production of medical waste. ⁃ Decreases the shortage of base materials and costs. ⁃ Environmental and sustainability assessment: designs for products based on the "green" wishes of customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic research on sustainability issues in supply chain collaboration has recently begun to focus more on a network-oriented view. Both horizontal and vertical relationships are being explored, which has led to recognition of the significance of the active participation of change agents in this process. This paper provides a practical example of how change agents shifted an entire chain (pig farming) towards sustainability over 17 years. The longitudinal study examined the mechanics of how change agents in a chain successfully engage others on sustainability issues. A sensemaking approach was used that focussed on three aspects: communication, action, and building relationships. The findings show that the change agents worked on different levels of supply chain collaboration in response to the evolution of the sustainability initiative. Their focus moved from producers controlling the entire chain to engaging in partnerships with other contributors both inside and outside the chain. They translated the abstract concept of sustainability into language understandable for the potential partners, fostering transparency, joined an eco-label certification program, and later invested in experiments to find solutions to new ideas as they arose through reflection. This stepwise construction of a netchain reveals the evolution of reciprocal interdependence in an informal, personal and trust-based way between organizations which can be applied to sustainability initiatives in other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies face challenges and need support when applying specific knowledge to their innovation processes, such as design for sustainability. The providers of innovation support in innovation systems are intermediaries. While the literature on intermediaries focuses on various roles and approaches, the way in which intermediaries function in specific fields such as design for sustainability remains underexplored. This paper investigates how intermediaries provide innovation support in the design for sustainability field today, with a focus on the services and support they offer, the approaches and drivers that shape them, as well as the challenges of the intermediation process, particularly concerning sustainability and design. To do this, 14 intermediaries from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Turkey were investigated through case studies. The role of design in support processes, especially during implementation, the importance and types of collaborations among various actors of innovation systems, and the emergence of a new type of intermediary that promises radical innovation in sustainability are among the findings. In addition, based on the empirical data, we suggest a framework for describing the roles and attributes of a group of five intermediaries that meets the needs of all types of companies engaged in design for sustainability. Finally we offer suggestions for Turkey on how to raise the capacity of its intermediaries operating in the design for sustainability field, which might be applicable to other similar contexts as well. This study contributes to the theory and practice of innovation support in the sustainability field, from which all innovation system's actors, especially intermediaries and governmental institutions, might benefit in designing support programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The electric mobility is a promising option to create a more sustainable mobility system for the future. The introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) into society poses several important challenges, such as; new interactions, limited driving range, and recharging time, and are relatively expensive. At system level there is an even bigger challenge; the use of EVs requires an adequate charging and electric grid infrastructure, as well as dedicated solutions for vehicle charging and storage that are optimally integrated into the urban environment. In this paper the results are presented of a ‘design inclusive research’ project for the introduction of EVs into a dense urban environment. Researchers & designers from architecture, industrial design, electrical engineering, technology assessment and innovation management background were involved. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol with its 48 million passenger movements per year was taken as a challenging case. The Schiphol Group has the ambition to develop its properties and business park areas in a sustainable and socially responsible way. Electric mobility is considered as one of the options for sustainable innovation. The results show that it is possible to create a multifunctional, sustainable and comfortable urban area in which the electric mobility is very well integrated. It can be stated that the sustainable urban development is becoming more feasible by the clever combination of renewable energy, electricity grid design, inductive Park & Charge and customized EV services. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]