PITTSBURGH—Dow Inc. is on track to open a silicone rubber recycling operation next year in Paris, Ky.
Midland, Mich.-based Dow is a partner and investor in the project, along with Circusil L.L.C. The site will open in the third quarter of 2025, Dow North America silicones marketing director Gifford Shearer said Sept. 10 at Silicone Expo USA in Pittsburgh.
"When you look at sustainability, you need to consider several factors, including production and supply of raw materials," he added. "Recycling of silicones can be a challenge because of the need to collect waste, choose a converting method and then break it down into its building blocks.
"We want to overcome the reputation of cheap and poor-quality recycled silicone," Shearer said. "We can lower the carbon footprint while maintaining high quality."
Circusil's recycling process enables the production of silicone fluids from silicone-based materials. Officials previously said the recycling unit will cover 50,000 square feet and create 35-40 new jobs.
Dow's silicones business is part of its Consumer Solutions unit, which has annual sales of $6.7 billion and operates 20 manufacturing sites worldwide. Shearer said Dow is the only silicones maker with basic manufacturing capacity in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
In new products, Dow has commercialized Luxsense-brand silicone synthetic leather. Shearer said the new material offers soft touch with abrasion resistance and has a carbon footprint 50 percent lower than standard leather. Luxsense is commercially available in China and soon will be sold in other regions as well, he added.
Dow is one of the world's largest producers of plastic resins and other specialty materials. The firm posted sales of almost $45 billion in 2023.
