Foam control for recycled plastics manufacturing

How can you optimize your plastic recycling process with our foam control agents ? 

The interest for plastic recycling has been on the rise for the last decade due to the growing concerns towards waste management, environmental issues and greenhouse gas emissions. It is also being driven by new and more cost-effective technologies that make recycled plastics economically feasible versus producing plastics from scratch.

From sorting to repackaging, recycled plastics have to go through multiple process stages, where foam can be a real problem. For example when PET (PolyEthylene Terphtalate) and HDPE (High Density PolyEthylene) containers such as water or milk bottles are recycled, they are washed at very high temperatures and flow rates, generating a great deal of foam.

Silcolapse™ silicone foam control agents are effective in reducing and controlling this foam, due to their long-lasting and efficient dispersion properties in aqueous media. Efficient at low dosage levels and with very low COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), Silcolapse™ silicones are economically and ecologically friendly. ​

For over 40 years, Elkem has been developing and producing foam control ingredients, formulations and processing aids for major clients worldwide. In addition, Elkem experts provide advice and work closely with plastic recycling manufacturers to make sure that the foam control products they use do what's needed in their manufacturing processes.

Use our set of customized services, including laboratory or on site trials and support for ramping up to industrial scale production.  Also, Elkem ensures product stewardship, providing all the information and certifications needed to comply with regulatory constraints.

To sustain this offer, we invest in development and innovation so that Silcolapse™ foam control agents will remain effective, cost efficient and safe through:​

• More efficient and cleaner processes
• Improved quality of final products
• Reduced waste and energy consumption

Customers will have the possibility to optimize their plastic recycling process thanks to Silcolapse™​ large offer available worldwide:

• Silcolapse™ EASY 10
• Silcolapse™ RG11, RG12 and RG21
• Silcolapse™ 621 and 623
• Silcolapse™ 721 and 723
• Silcolapse™ C581 and C585

We can also provide BLUESIL™SP 3304 : a defoaming enhancer used upstream at the separation stage, facilitating plastic sorting in float processes because of its excellent wetting properties and which is also useful downstream as a release agent for demolding recycled plastic components.

In addition to its antifoams and defoamers, Elkem is developing BLUESIL™​ Clean 101 and BLUESIL™​ Clean 102​, functional low-foam cleaning formulations designed specifically for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE) wash systems.