CIRCULAR HEALTHCARE · ARTICLE 17 · JUST TRANSITION
Reprocessing SUMD(SINGLE-USE MEDICAL DEVICES)& Global South Impact
Explore how safely reprocessing medical devices labelled for one use could reduce hospital costs, carbon and waste—and where lower demand for new materials may ease extractive pressure.
What is Article 17?
Article 17 of the EU Medical Device Regulation allows single-use medical-device reprocessing only when national law permits it, under strict safety and quality rules.
Read the simple explanation
10
of 30 study countries allow reprocessing
EC reporting period: Dec 2022–Dec 2023
6
of 38 surveyed notified bodies offer certification
No certificates reported in the study period
<10
manufacturers identified
Only two active and operating in the EU
44%
illustrative average GHG reduction
Scenario default; device-specific LCAs vary
Two tools · Two different questions
Measure the value. Then explore who could benefit.
The tools work together, but they do different jobs.
In one line: The Impact Model calculates the value created. → The Global South Calculator explores how that value could be shared.
EU uptake
What is allowed—and what is happening?
Tap any section for a simple explanation.
10 countries allow reprocessing
National law says it can happen under set safety rules.
- ● Belgium
- ● Croatia
- ● Germany
- ● Iceland
- ● Ireland
- ● Netherlands
- ● Poland
- ● Portugal
- ● Spain
- ● Sweden
20 countries do not currently allow it
National law has not authorised the practice.
- ○ Austria
- ○ Bulgaria
- ○ Cyprus
- ○ Czechia
- ○ Denmark
- ○ Estonia
- ○ Finland
- ○ France
- ○ Greece
- ○ Hungary
- ○ Italy
- ○ Latvia
- ○ Liechtenstein
- ○ Lithuania
- ○ Luxembourg
- ○ Malta
- ○ Norway
- ○ Romania
- ○ Slovakia
- ○ Slovenia
EU regulatory update scanner
Monitor the evidence.Review before updating.
The scanner checks priority European sources for changes, compares them with the last browser scan and flags possible updates for human verification. It never changes a country’s status automatically.
MONITORING MODE
Automatic + manual
AUTOMATIC CADENCE
Weekly when opened
PRIORITY SOURCES
3 official sources
PUBLICATION RULE
Human approval required
Refresh controls
Run a source check now or allow a weekly check whenever this dashboard is opened on this device.
Current scope
This first-stage scanner monitors the European Commission and EUR-Lex. Wider national-source and whole-web monitoring will require a connected search service and central evidence database.
Latest source check
Monitoring baseline created
Last check
25/08/2026, 04:46:27
Possible changes
0
Dashboard changes
0 automatically applied
- 1Scan trusted sources→
- 2Detect a difference→
- 3Human verification→
- 4Approve dashboard update
Evidence architecture
Five steps from estimate to evidence
Each step adds information that makes the dashboard’s results clearer, stronger and easier to verify. Tap a step for a simple explanation.
01
Regulatory status
What the law allows ·
02
Hospital activity
What hospitals are doing ·
03
Device inventory
What devices contain ·
04
LCA impacts
Environmental effects ·
05
Mine traceability
Where minerals come from ·