New industry toolbox highlights how to reduce emissions of siloxanes  

Protecting the environment is a key priority for the silicones industry. With the rise of public concern about the release of chemicals into the environment, the silicones industry has updated its voluntary guide for downstream users (DU) on how to reduce emissions of siloxanes during manufacturing and use of silicone products. In addition to a full review of the original document, it now also includes guidance for laboratory use and how to achieve “controlled conditions” in line with the provisions of the EU restriction for D4, D5 and D6. 

Karolina Warowny-Decoene, Sector Group Manager for Silicones Europe: 

“The toolbox is a testimonial to the value our industry places on ensuring that the different uses of siloxanes are safe, emissions are kept to a minimum, and we are in compliance with EU regulation.” 

This guidance is directed at all industrial and professional users of the cyclosiloxanes D4, D5 and D6 and the linear siloxanes L3, L4 and L5, all of which are volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS). This means they have the potential to evaporate rapidly. It provides an extensive set of Risk Management Measures to reduce environmental emissions of these VMS by the downstream users in industrial settings. 

About siloxanes  

The siloxanes D4, D5, D6, L2 and H-L3 are most frequently used as critical building blocks for the production of a broad range of silicone polymers, essential materials with unique properties for EU Green Deal applications, like solar power, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Silicone polymers offer many unique product performance characteristics that enable many applications vital to strategic EU industrial ecosystems, including electronics, aerospace and healthcare.