As I have tried to make sustainable choices over the last several years I keep coming across silicone. People have suggested I switch to silicone baking and cooking utensils, or that I use silicone bags to store leftovers or snacks. Heat resistant, pliable, and dishwasher safe are all qualities that make it popular. Stasher, a well known silicone bag brand, makes a plastic-free claim, so it seemed like it might be a good eco-friendly choice.
But there was always a little voice in the back of my head saying “this seems an awful lot like plastic to me.” I never really looked into what silicone is made out of or if it is truly sustainable, and I just kind of stayed away from it. But plastic bags are a truly handy way to store things, and so I keep coming back to the potential of silicone bags. So I decided it was time to dig into silicone to find out if it is a good plastic switch.
Silicone and Plastic Are Different But…
A Google search got me some pretty quick answers. There is a lot of scientific info to go into if you really want to understand the difference between plastic and silicone. I have attached one article here from Treehugger.com that explains some of the details on silicone and the pros and cons. https://www.treehugger.com/is-silicone-biodegradable-5097218
As I think about my journey to go plastic-free, I don’t feel that silicone fits what I am trying to do. Looking just at the chemistry, silicone is different from plastic. And as a result, Stasher’s claim that their bags are plastic-free is true. And if you replace single-use plastic bags with silicone bags, over time, it could be a better option.
But there are a few characteristics that make me feel that buying products made from silicone will contribute to pollution in a similar way as plastic.
Why I Don’t Buy Products Made From Silicone:
- While the primary ingredient in silicone is silica (what beach sand is made of), it is combined with other molecules that likely come from fossil fuels
- One of the benefits of silicone is that it is extremely durable. But this means that, if it ends up in a landfill, it will not break down.
- While it is technically possible to recycle silicone, it requires a specialized recycling process, which is not readily available in the US.
At the end of the day, I feel that since silicone is not the plastic-free solution for me. Since it is neither biodegradable nor easily recyclable, it will likely end up in a landfill. As a result, as I rate products with green/orange/red leaves, products that include silicone will be marked down on the “performance” criteria in the same way they would be if they contained plastic.
There are many fans of silicone as a sustainable alternative. Leave a comment below if you have thoughts on Silicone, and how it can contribute to a more sustainable life!