Among the methods proposed to environmental management of productive activities, Life Cycle Assessment is one of the most integrated, complete and efficacious. The product assessed is the dental carpule syringe. The aim of this work is to to perform a Streamlined Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) to quantify the electric energy consumption and the solid waste release from dental carpule syringes manufacture. The methodological structure is based on NBR ISO 14.040 and ISO 14.040 series. The LCI covers the syringe life cycle from mining to disposal. The limits of the system include the stages of copper and zinc mining and ore beneficiation; the production of polyethylene used for carpule and needle packing, the production of the steel for needles and syringe coils; and the use of the whole set by dentists. The functional unit was defined as 10(6) (one million) applied anaesthesies. During improvement assessment, the proposed solutions allow reducing the electric energy consumption at about 20% in the manufacture stage. The solid waste quantity may be reduced nearly 40% in the manufacture stage, corresponding to approximately 6.50 % of the total solid waste released during the whole life cycle of the dental carpule syringe.
Life cycle inventory; dental carpule syringe; solid wastes; electricity consumption; dematerialization
