{
  "id": 1819307,
  "title": "Sustainable medical electronics can reduce environmental impact by up to 65%",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/sustainable-medical-electronics-can-reduce-environmental-impact-by-up",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-18T22:40:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-08-sustainable-medical-electronics-environmental-impact.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sustainable medical electronics have the potential to cut environmental impact by up to 65%, according to a large-scale EU project called SUSTRONICS. This initiative, involving partners from 11 European countries, aims to make electronics more environmentally friendly throughout their entire life cycle. Researchers from Fraunhofer IZM, a German institute, are testing technologies and materials in 10 medical and diagnostic demonstrators, using life cycle assessments (LCAs) to identify areas with high environmental impacts. The project found that electrodes in glucose monitoring patches were the single biggest driver of environmental impact. By replacing these electrodes with an optical sensor, Onalabs reduced the patch's carbon footprint by around 65%. The project also demonstrated that using alternative substrates, carbon-based conductors, and recycled materials in smart wound dressings could reduce their environmental impact by up to 95% compared to traditional designs involving PET and silver. By providing accurate environmental assessments, Fraunhofer IZM is helping to make electronic products more sustainable, starting from the research and development phase. This holistic approach could serve as a benchmark for a circular economy in electronics, benefiting stakeholders from industry, research, and policy.",
  "summary": "While electronic devices have become an integral part of everyday life, the consumption of critical raw materials and energy demand associated with their production continue to rise. According to the European Commission's European Green Deal, Europe aims to become climate-neutral while maintaining a competitive economy by 2050, which calls for new approaches that consider sustainability not only…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}