BD Looks to Reduce Environmental Impact of Products

Becton Dickinson & Co.’s new Sustainable Medical Technology Institute is set to be a model of practice within the organization that will bring together BD researchers and engineers, along with quality, regulatory, policy, and operational expertise, to focus on reducing the environmental impact of the company’s product portfolio in the areas of adopting sustainable product design strategies, developing and deploying sustainable sterilization technologies, and addressing materials of concern.

"By empowering our teams to tap into deep expertise in areas like engineering and materials science, coupled with access to breakthrough research, technologies, and government and academic partnerships, we are well-positioned to be the best environmental stewards of our portfolio,” said Dr. Amit Limaye, director of the Sustainable Medical Technology Institute and Director of Sustainability Research and Development at BD, in a prepared statement. “It is our vision to create a strategic roadmap that will be integral across the organization, demonstrating how an ethical and sustainable company can drive growth, while meeting patient and customer needs in the most environmentally sustainable way possible"

The Institute will operate in North America, Europe, and Asia, and will collaborate with cross-functional teams within the company’s business units. The Institute will begin with reestablishing a set of minimum and human health criteria for new products and product changes aligned with the company’s 2030+ ESG commitments and goals, and identify new ways to reduce, reuse, recycle or replace materials. BD stated that these efforts will inform the company’s product life cycle roadmap, and enable adoption of a sustainable-by-design product development process.