Making the case for a circular approach to healthcare equipment life cycle management
Bukola Jaji
August 7, 2025
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The growing use of complex technology within healthcare is improving diagnostics and outcomes, but this equipment can also generate a large amount of harmful waste.
The white paper below, written by Blue Cottage of CannonDesign and CannonDesign experts, explores how circular economy principles can be applied to medical equipment to extend its life cycle, reduce capital expenditures and support resource-limited areas without compromising safety or quality of care. Circular economy is a model of both production and consumption where products and existing materials are shared, reused, repaired, recycled and more for as long as possible to both reduce waste and create long-term value. Some key points covered in the paper include:
- The health hazards of electronic waste
- Typical cost of various medical technologies and equipment
- The life cycle of healthcare technology
- Shifting mindsets and decisions towards the circular economy
This paper also provides guidance for healthcare organizations to understand the full life cycle of their specific equipment to enable them to make informed and sustainable decisions.
