In short: remanufacturing first, then recycling.
What this means in practice can be seen in everyday hospital operations. At Marien Gesellschaft Siegen, a hospital group in North Rhine-Westphalia, a total of 2,938 remanufactured medical devices from the product groups EP catheters, transseptal needles and ultrasonic shears were used between 2021 and 2024. This saved approximately 1,827 kilograms of CO₂ equivalents and 274.6 kilograms of waste. In 2023 alone, the medical remanufacturing of 527 EP catheters saved around 463 kilograms of CO₂ equivalents and almost 46 kilograms of waste. Overall, this corresponds to the amount that around 115 trees can absorb in one year. Projected over ten years of collaboration, the long-term impact of this approach becomes clear. This example makes tangible the potential already found in individual product groups before recycling even becomes necessary.
(Source: Case-Study Marien Gesellschaft Siegen)
What hospitals gain from selling used medical devices
- Greater impact per product
Recycling is important, but remanufacturing starts earlier. It keeps the product value within the circular economy before raw materials are separated again. In practical terms, this means that a product does not immediately become waste, but remains in use as a functioning medical device with correspondingly higher value.
- An additional lever for conserving resources
Supplying products for remanufacturing helps keep resources in the system for longer. This is a practical step towards a circular economy in healthcare. Especially with complex products such as ultrasonic shears or EP catheters, it becomes clear that the greatest ecological and economic impact lies not in recycling, but in extending the product’s use.
- A straightforward process that can be integrated into daily routines
Once responsibilities, provision and documentation are clearly defined, selling becomes routine, without significant additional effort. Experience from hospitals shows that the extra work involved in collecting and providing products is minimal and can be easily integrated into existing processes.
Frequently asked questions from procurement and administration
There are already recycling programmes. Why sell the products?
Recycling programmes are an important part of sustainable strategies. Many manufacturers, or OEMs, already offer their own take-back or recycling programmes. These are useful, but they only come into play at the end of the product life cycle. Selling products for remanufacturing complements these programmes because it starts one step earlier. Where remanufacturing is possible, the value of the product is preserved for longer. Recycling remains important, but as the next step when remanufacturing is no longer an option.
Is selling also worthwhile from an economic perspective?
Yes. In addition to the ecological benefits, selling used medical devices can also offer a financial advantage. Instead of disposing of products directly after use or sending them into the waste stream at a cost, hospitals can receive remuneration for suitable products. This creates an additional incentive to establish structured circular pathways, not only from a sustainability perspective, but also with regard to cost-effectiveness and resource use. Particularly in times of high cost pressure, this can be a pragmatic lever for better aligning ecological and economic goals.
Why is selling sometimes still viewed critically in everyday hospital practice?
In practice, reservations are common, particularly in the interaction between medical staff and manufacturers:
Hospitals often maintain close contact with OEM representatives and do not want to strain existing relationships.
In some cases, purchasing used products is actively discouraged, for example with reference to service or support dependencies.
Decisions are often passed on to nursing staff or administration without the topic being assessed strategically.
This is precisely why it is important to classify the topic on a factual basis and anchor it properly within the organisation.
Do circular pathways create an advantage, or is it ultimately about fair access?
Circular models deliver more than an economic effect in individual cases. They can help bring sustainable medical technology more broadly into healthcare provision and improve access to resource-saving solutions. The decisive factor is not competition between individual stakeholders, but the question of how circular pathways can be established so that as many institutions as possible can use them. The more naturally remanufacturing is integrated into existing processes, the more likely sustainable medical technology is to develop from individual cases into a standard.
How selling works in practice
For the process to run smoothly in everyday hospital operations, three elements are particularly important:
- Clear responsibilities
Who collects the products, who reports that they are ready for collection, and who coordinates the next steps?
- Standardised provision
For example, through Vanguard boxes, in which the products are collected and prepared for onward transport.
- Transparent documentation
Handover, goods receipt and traceability are regulated transparently, creating security throughout the process.
In practice, this means that products are prepared after use, collected in designated Vanguard boxes and made available for onward transport. The further organisation then varies depending on the country. In Germany, collections can be arranged automatically at agreed intervals or via customer service. In other countries, the healthcare facility reports that the products are ready, and collection is then coordinated. The boxes are sealed for transport and collected by an external service provider. This is a process that can be easily integrated into existing workflows.
Our goal
We aim to support hospitals in not removing medical devices from the circular economy prematurely, but instead, wherever possible, supplying them for remanufacturing first. This creates an additional, concrete contribution to conserving resources and advancing sustainable medical technology.
Would you like to assess how selling could be integrated into your hospital?
Please get in touch. We will explain the process step by step and review together how it can be pragmatically integrated into your hospital’s daily operations.
