Recycling silicone tubing waste into silicone oil
This plastic- and silicone-tubing manufacturer is now able to recycle the waste from its silicone tubing and braid-reinforced hose extrusion processes (photo). The recycled scrap finds new life as silicone oil for industrial applications. Tubing scrap is created at the beginning and end of the extrusion process as technicians adjust the equipment for proper tubing dimensions. That tubing, and any other that does not meet the company’s strict quality standards, is collected and stored in bulk containers. The containers are then shipped to ECO USA, a company that specializes in reclaiming silicone oil. At ECO USA’s silicone recycling plant in Parkersburg, West Virginia, silicone is ground into small pieces, mixed with catalysts and heated to break down its chemical bonds. Liquids from this stage are filtered, refined and polymerized into silicone oils and filtered again. The final product is silicone oil that is comparable to virgin silicone oil manufactured from silicon dioxide. The oil is used in industrial applications, such as lubricants, sealants and automotive dressing. — NewAge Industries, Inc., Southampton, Pa.