The first silicone rubber recycling plant in the United States has completed phase one of development. Having just begun in 2018, ECO USA’s pilot facility has undergone tremendous growth. It can currently recycle approximately 500 metric tons of silicone monthly and have plans for reaching 1,000 metric tons in the near future. Their success comes at a pivotal moment when a surge of silicone waste is being observed as a result of the increase of silicone usage in product manufacturing.
Hassle-free silicone collection programs
ECO USA brings fresh air into the silicone market and offers manufacturers an environmentally friendly option for removing used, wide-spec, expired and scrap silicone materials. Not long ago, the only end-of-life options available were limited to discarding into landfills or incineration. With ECO USA’s efforts, this same material that would have been thrown away can now be recycled into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a common type of silicone oil used in a variety of products and applications.
For silicone manufacturers and compounders, ECO USA offers many hassle-free programs to help reduce waste management fees. They work with businesses globally to collect silicone materials such as silicone purges, reject parts, trims, and runners for recycling. Instead of paying to remove these materials, inquire about ECO USA’s free auditing and pickup services.
ECO USA does not offer any residential collection programs but are actively looking for partnerships that may assist in this matter.
Manufacture with low-carbon silicone oil
ECO USA manufactures industrial-grade silicone oil for various industries such as the automotive industry which emulsifies it to produce high quality waxes and tire shines. According to Edmund Tse, Co-founder, “our silicone oil is very competitively priced and works the same as name brand products.“ Additional uses for ECO USA’s silicone oil include the manufacturing of sealants, transformer fluids, mold release agents, emulsions, and more. It can also be used as a standalone lubricant for numerous industrial processes.
Lastly, silicone recycling has many environmental benefits. The most profound is that the production of ECO USA’s products emits approximately 65% less carbon. This equals to a reduction of 4.2 pounds of carbon emitted per pound of silicone oil produced. The large difference is attributed to the choice of raw materials used and the energy required throughout the production cycle. With a much lower carbon footprint, using ECO USA’s low-carbon silicone oil is a great way for environmentally conscience businesses to reach carbon neutral goals.
