Sussex manufacturer becomes first ever to mechanically recycle and reuse silicone rubber

Advanced Polymers Ltd (Adpol) has developed the first ever mechanically recycled silicone rubber compound, called Silicrumb.

The material is designed to keep silicone rubber waste out of landfill.

Joe Field, director at Advanced Polymers Ltd, said: “We are delighted to have finally developed a viable and effective recycling solution for silicone rubber.

“It has always vexed me that so much ends up in landfill around the world and we knew there must be a way we could help to reduce waste.

“Since we launched Silicrumb, the number of firms contacting us looking for ways to recycle their silicone has been incredible.

"The feedback has been extremely positive and we’re confident that our product can be used across a whole range of industries with plenty of manufacturing opportunities in the future. This is a very exciting time for our business.”

Silicone rubber is an ‘incredibly versatile’, flexible product and has a ‘range of uses across different sectors’ – including in the medical and catering industries.

"It’s a highly successful polymer – but that makes it incredibly difficult to breakdown and reuse,” a spokesperson for Adpol said.

"At present, there is no recycling route for silicone rubber. Instead, it remains in landfill for hundreds of years.

"Latest figures show that an estimated 8.8 million tons of silicone rubber was produced globally in 2022 which is more than the total amount of waste going into UK landfill annually.

"In addition, the typical carbon footprint to produce of one kilogram of silicone rubber is 5kg of C02.”

Mr Field and fellow Adpol director Gary White decided they ‘wanted to do something about the problem’.

Their family-run firm, founded in 1974, manufactures seals, gaskets, tubes cords and more. With silicone rubber at the heart of their business, Joe and Gary set out to develop a viable mechanical system to recycle and reuse the material.

The spokesperson added: “After four years of research and testing, Silicrumb was created, backed by an innovate UK grant funding award for green technologies. The scheme – which has strict criteria – aims to support those firms working to help the drive to net zero.

“Adpol’s Silicrumb is made by grinding up silicone rubber waste and blending it back into its base. The product can offer different hardness, colour and tear strength grades that can be moulded or extruded with good results.

“A matt or textured surface finish can be achieved through different manufacturing techniques, and truly vivid colours with a multitude of different effects from the ground up silicone blended into clear, or pigmented bases.”

Since its launch in 2022, Adpol’s unique product has been used in a series of pioneering projects, ranging from aircraft interiors to civil engineering schemes.

Adpol has since collaborated with other businesses to help develop new greener ways of working.

Aaron Oxenham, founder of Poca Audio in Poole, said: "POCA audio partnered with Adpol to leverage their expertise in the development of uniquely sustainable materials. Our collaboration makes our promise possible, to bring sustainability to the speaker market by repurposing British waste and turn it into audio products.

"This joint effort is fuelled by winning the prestigious Innovate UK grant for Transformative Technologies. Together, we are turning up the volume on sustainability in the audio industry by leading with cutting-edge technology and environmental responsibility.”