Elkem reaches major milestone in advancing the circular economy for silicones in Lyon France
This marks a significant milestone in driving the transition to a circular economy for silicones.
As part of its climate strategy, Elkem is committed to cutting CO₂ emissions and resource-use to reach climate-neutral production by 2050, notably by increasing recycling in its own operations and developing circular loops with customers and suppliers. In 2021, Elkem initiated a collaborative project* dedicated to breaking down silicone waste, using eco-designed depolymerization methods. This project led to the implementation of innovative routes and processes for the recycling of silicones that are patented by Elkem and partners and embedded in the construction and operation of the unit at Saint-Fons. Recycling silicones reduces their carbon footprint and contributes to securing the provision of the critical raw material, demand for which is rising due to the green transition and digitalization.
The technical implementation of the chemical recycling is now being performed at a pilot scale. This marks a major milestone in Elkem’s journey towards offering recycled silicones to the market. The pilot unit will provide vital scale-up information for safe and energy-efficient recycling of silicones at the industrial scale, and supply Elkem’s target customers with representative quantities of silicone with recycled content.
“As a manufacturer of silicones since 1948 and leading global supplier of silicones, we are committed to creating a circular economy for our products, giving them a second life. Chemical recycling of silicones is a key technological enabler to close the loop. Through our innovative technology, we can provide a solution for silicone waste and offer low carbon solutions from recycling with the same quality as those made from virgin material to the market,” says Joséphine Munsch, Sustainability Project Leader at Elkem.
Elkem’s patented depolymerization process technologies offer multiple unique benefits, such as low process temperatures, which enable lower carbon emissions, high conversion rates and chemical selectivity that avoids the generation of undesirable by-products and residues.
This project** was funded by the France 2030 national innovation and industry investment programme, operated by ADEME (the French Agency for Ecological Transition), and the European Union’s NextGenerationEU fund.
*Elkem’s collaborative project, known as the Resourcing Silicones Polymers (REPOS) project, focuses on developing eco-friendly depolymerization chemistry to reduce silicone waste. REPOS has been developed with CP2M and IMP academic labs, and the SMEs Activation and Processium. This project received the support and funding from Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes et BPI France and labelled by Axelera.
** The funded project ROSE UPP is dedicated to the scale up of chemical recycling technologies.
Latest news
UPM receives triple sustainability certification for the Leuna biorefinery
Leuna Chemical Complex →The Leuna biorefinery is the world’s first industrial-scale facility of its kind, converting wood into advanced biochemicals at scale. This milestone reinforces UPM’s role as a frontrunner in susta...
On stream: BASF starts up new world-scale plant for hexamethylenediamine in Chalampé, France
Increase of BASF’s HMD production capacity to 260,000 metric tons Expansion of polyamide business together with polyamide 6.6 production in Freiburg
Biogas and e-SAF Business Joint Venture Established with Denmark's Skovgaard Energy
A new company engaged in the development of renewable energy to produce biogas and Power to X (*1) business such as e-SAF (*2). The new company aims to produce around 40 million Nm³ (*3) of biogas ...
BASF starts commercial operation of Black Mass plant for Battery Recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany
It is one of the biggest commercial Black Mass plants in Europe, with an annual processing capacity of up to 15,000 tons of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and production scrap. This equals rough...