The silicone industry is facing a serious waste challenge. By the mid-2020s, global silicone production was already at around 3 million tonnes every year. Yet only around 35,000–45,000 tonnes of silicone waste were being recycled by 2024; a tiny fraction of what’s produced (Wolf & Stammer, 2024). The rest typically ends up in landfill or incineration.

While silicone’s innate durability and longevity makes it already significantly more eco-friendly than many alternatives, the imbalance between production and end-of-life recycling makes the industry an ongoing environmental concern. At Silclear, we set out to change that.

The result was re-Sil, the world’s first food-grade compliant recycled silicone compound; an innovation that gives silicone a second life while cutting down waste and emissions.

But how exactly does re-Sil work?

The Process

Step 1: Collecting silicone waste

The re-Sil process begins with scrap silicone that would otherwise be discarded. This material is made up of production offcuts (or “scrap”) and silicone products that have reached the end of their usage. While this began as a way to deal with Silclear’s own waste, our aim is to expand this and begin taking scrap and end-of-life silicone from other businesses and customers, further broadening the positive impact.

Step 2: Cleaning, breaking down and purifying

The recovered silicone is first cleaned, then broken down into a processable form. Contaminants are removed, ensuring that only high-quality material continues through the process. This preparation stage is crucial for turning waste into a safe, usable compound.

Step 3: Re-compounding into re-Sil

The cleaned and purified silicone is then reprocessed into re-Sil, a recycled silicone compound with the resilience, flexibility and durability that virgin silicone is valued for.

Step 4: Testing and compliance

Every batch of re-Sil undergoes rigorous testing to ensure food-grade compliance and high performance. This means customers can make an environmentally friendly choice without sacrificing safety, reliability or peace of mind.

Step 5: A second life for silicone

The finished re-Sil compound can be moulded or reprocessed into new products, keeping silicone in use and out of waste streams. Silicone once treated as disposable, now becomes circular.

Why re-Sil matters

re-Sil is more than just a material innovation, it’s a step toward a more sustainable silicone industry. By recycling silicone into high-quality compounds, Silclear helps to:

• Reduce landfill and incineration.
• Cut carbon emissions compared to virgin production.
• Provide manufacturers with a practical, responsible material choice.

re-Sil shows that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand. By choosing recycled silicone, manufacturers can reduce their environmental impact and take a tangible step toward circularity. It also provides customers with a practical way to meet their own sustainability goals, strengthen brand reputation and demonstrate a commitment to responsible sourcing without compromising on quality.

If you’d like to know more about how re-Sil could fit into your applications, get in touch with Silclear today. Contact us on +44(0)1425 610700, email info@silclear.com or enquire below.