New Jersey-headquartered Eco USA, has just completed the first phase of the development of its first silicone rubber recycling plant in the US. The silicone polymer recycler can recycle approximately 500 tonnes of silicone/month and plans to increase their output to 1,000 tonnes/month in the near future.
Eco assists manufacturers by removing used, wide-spec, expired, and scraps silicone materials that will otherwise end up in landfills or incineration. The scrap silicones are recycled into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a common type of silicone oil used in a variety of products and applications. Moreover, it also manufactures industrial-grade silicone oil for various industries such as the automotive industry, which emulsifies it to produce waxes and tyre shines.
According to Eco’s Co-founder, Edmund Tse, who also claims that their silicone oil is on par in quality as brand products, explains that Eco’s recycled silicone products emit approximately 65% less carbon – or the equivalent of 4.2 lb reduction of carbon emitted/lb of silicone oil made. The large difference, he said, is attributed to the choice of raw materials used and the energy required throughout the production cycle.