Research project

ENKORE: Designing a sustainable future for the European Healthcare Sector

The ENKORE project seeks to develop an eco-design framework for single-use medical devices and packaging.

Duration: 2025 - 2028
Contact: Marco Cinelli
Funding: Innovative Health Initiative (IHI)

Introduction

The healthcare sector significantly impacts the environment through resource consumption and waste generation, accounting for 5% of global carbon emissions. Single-use medical devices and packaging, particularly plastics, are major contributors.

Implementing 'circular economy' principles in this sector could mitigate these impacts, but it is challenging. Strict regulations ensuring device sterility and safety currently hinder the adoption of circular economy principles, as processes like recycling are complex and challenging to implement. To address these environmental concerns, the ENKORE project seeks to develop an eco-design framework for single-use medical devices and packaging.

What is ENKORE?

ENKORE, a consortium of 39 public and private partners and 13 affiliated members, led by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, from the public side and Medtronic from the industry side, embarks on a mission to revolutionise the environmental sustainability of the healthcare sector across Europe by implementing cutting-edge eco-design solutions for single-use medical devices and packaging.

Key innovations include:

Catalogues of Key Enabling Materials (KEM) and Key End-of-Cycle Solutions (KES): Designed to minimise waste and optimise resource use, ensuring devices and packaging are safe and functional.
Digital Product Passport (DPP): A tool that centralises product information to enhance traceability and can support adequate waste management.
Environmental and Social Life Cycle Assessments (ELCA/SLCA): To measure environmental and social impacts at every stage of the product lifecycle.