Although the green transition of the silicone industry has become a consensus, its implementation still faces multiple practical challenges, mainly reflected in the following five aspects:
The synthesis of silicone monomers (DMC) requires high temperature and high pressure, relying heavily on steam and electricity, with total energy consumption per ton generally at 2–2.5 tons of standard coal. Although companies have actively introduced waste heat recovery, green electricity substitution, and other measures, no disruptive low-carbon technology has yet emerged for the core reaction pathways, making it difficult to fundamentally reduce the carbon footprint in the short term.
Producing 1 ton of DMC generates approximately 0.8–1 ton of hydrochloric acid, chloromethane, and silicon-containing waste residue. While some companies reuse hydrochloric acid or produce by-product calcium chloride, high-purity recycling technologies are immature, and a large amount of byproducts still need outsourced disposal. Environmental compliance costs already account for over 10% of production costs, placing a heavy burden on small and medium-sized enterprises.
Building a full-process intelligent green factory (e.g., Hoshine Shanshan Base) requires investment exceeding 10 billion RMB, while certification cycles for high-end green products such as photovoltaic sealants and medical silicone can take 2–3 years. Under the pressure of overall industry profitability, the “invest first, gain later” transition model discourages many companies.
Currently, no unified national standard exists for calculating the carbon footprint of silicone products. Some companies promote their “green transition” through “partial green electricity use” or “reduced packaging,” lacking full lifecycle assessment (LCA) support. This reduces market trust and also hinders access to green financing.
Frontier directions such as bio-based silicone rubber, degradable silicones, and low-VOC formulations remain at the laboratory stage. Domestic accumulation in molecular design, catalytic systems, and composite modification is weak, and core patents are largely controlled by foreign companies like Dow Corning and Wacker, making independent green products prone to being “imitative rather than superior.”
The green transition of the silicone industry is not merely about “meeting environmental standards”; it is a systemic transformation involving process reconstruction, technological leapfrogging, capital investment, and institutional coordination. Only through policy guidance, industry–academia–research collaboration, and demonstration by leading enterprises can the industry overcome the current “high cost, low return, weak standards” deepwater zone of transition.
