Towards eco-efficient lean production systems

Lean Production has proved itself a worthwhile production strategy in many distinct industries across all regions of the planet by achieving higher levels of production efficiency. Several authors identified that Lean inadvertently has had significant environmental gains. Such achievements are considered of special relevance in a global and highly competitive economy which is progressively both tied-up and driven by an environmental agenda. The main goal of the present study is to enlighten the contribution of Lean for achieving a better environmental performance of production systems and identify this as an emergent business model for supporting eco-efficiency

Mapping the green product development field: engineering, policy and business perspectives

The literature study on which we report here is based on a cross-disciplinary database containing around 650 articles, taken from the engineering, management, and policy studies disciplines. We report on this literature using a model distinguishing between the product development processes as such, and different contexts, such as the company as a whole, the product chain and society. In addition, a distinction is made between empirically informed research and more conceptual work. Confronting the references in the database with this model, we identify several white spots on the map of research on environmental product development. These seem to be the understanding of the use and role of tools on a micro level (within companies), and an understanding of how this micro-level interacts with the macro level (between companies and in public policies). Also, a strategic orientation on the product development process within companies is underdeveloped. We argue that, in order to make an environmental optimisation of resource use and a minimisation of emissions, a systems perspective is necessary, both in research and practice

Clinical and microbiological changes associated with an altered subgingival environment induced by periodontal pocket reduction.

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effect of an altered subgingival environment, induced by changing the local soft tissue morphology, i.e., pocket depth reduction, on the subgingival microbiota and the clinical conditions. 7 patients aged 30-60 years with generalized marginal periodontitis were selected. Patients were instructed in proper oral hygiene and all teeth were cleaned supragingivally. Mucoperiosteal flaps were raised and the bone re-contoured to eliminate angular bony defects. While the control teeth were carefully debrided and thoroughly root planed, no root instrumentation was performed on the test teeth. Calculus deposits visible to the naked eye were only chipped-off with the tip of a scaler. The flaps were apically repositioned and sutured at the level of the bone crest. Clinical parameters showed a similar pattern of response in the test and control sites over a one year observation period post therapy. Probing depths and probing attachment levels were significantly reduced one month after surgery and remained at a lower level. A significant decrease was also noted for total anaerobic viable bacterial counts. The proportion of the Gram-negative anaerobic rods decreased significantly in both groups. P. gingivalis, Fusobacterium sp., C rectus were detected significantly less often after treatment in both groups. Capnocytophaga and A. odontolyticus, on the other hand, were more frequently isolated after therapy. These findings corroborate the concept that the reduction of selected subgingival microorganisms is the key element for the success of periodontal therapy, rather than the removal of tooth substance and mineralized deposits by root instrumentation.link_to_subscribed_fulltex