Silicone Bakeware: Just How Eco-Friendly Is It?
Silicone bakeware is everywhere these days, and it’s pretty intriguing. For starters it comes in a variety of bright colors. Then there is the irresistible temptation to well… play with it! It bends and folds and turns inside out—what fun! But can this stuff really go into a 450 degree oven? Yes, it can, and then right into the freezer and back into the oven or microwave—like I said, intriguing. But I’ve been on the fence about this stuff. I mean it looks as plastic-y as things come. So I did a little research and rated silicone bakeware using the following six criteria.
1. Raw Material, GOOD
Making silicone starts with silica (silicon and oxygen in the form of sand). According to the U.S. Geological Survey, silica resources for most uses are abundant, so the major environmental impacts are derived from mining silica. But silicone bakeware uses only a tiny fraction of the silica that is mined each year, so it shares only a small amount of the responsibility for those impacts which the USGS calls “limited” anyway.
2. Other Ingredients and By Products, INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION
To create silicone rubber (a synthetic elastomer), silica undergoes a chemical process to create silicone then other elements are added to give the silicone specific qualities. The chemical process and ingredient list is proprietary, so it could be years before we know everything that’s in silicone bakeware and its environmental impacts, including manufacturing byproducts.
3. Safety, GOOD (as far as we know)
All silicone cookware sold in the U.S. is made of food grade silicone, meaning the FDA has deemed it safe for its intended use. That will be good enough for most people, but just remember, it was only recently that we learned that some food grade plastics were leaching the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) into food and beverages–putting us at risk for a number of health problems.
A hint that BPA–containing plastics weren’t exactly infallible was the distinct plastic smell and taste the plastic could give food or water that came in contact with it. Silicone rubber seems to pass the smell and taste test, and Dow Corning (who has been making silicones since the 1940s) assures its customers through their website, that their silicone bakeware is stable at high and low temperatures and will not impart any flavor or odor that would affect the quality of the food.
Time may reveal more facts about what’s in silicone cookware and how it stands up to long term use, but for now, there are few reported problems with the material.
4. Clean up, EXCELLENT
Silicone bakeware is easy to clean, and won’t require harsh, damaging solvents that can pollute the air or water.
5. Longevity/Reuse, GOOD
A distinct advantage of silicone cookware is its durability and what Dow Corning calls its “resistance to aging.” Longevity is only an eco-asset, however, if one is committed to hanging on to their silicone wares for the duration, and won’t replace it with something new while it still has many useful years left. If replacement ever becomes desired, make sure silicone items get passed on, not thrown out.
Silicone kitchen products are especially earth-friendly when they can replace disposables. The Progressive International Silicone Suction Lid
6. End of Life Solutions: BAD
You might be able to find a facility that recycles silicone rubber, but they are not at all common. And they may only accept commercial loads of a minimum weight or quantity. It is considerably more difficult to recycle a silicone bread pan than one made from aluminum or Pyrex glass. And if worn out silicone rubber ends up in the landfill, it will not biodegrade.
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[...] January 24, 2012 by an uncommon girl I’ve seen a lot of silicone products in stores but I haven’t decided to try any yet. I want natural bakeware in my kitchen; glass, stainless steel and natural stoneware have proven to be safe and reliable and I feel comfortable using them. I admit that I was persuaded into buying non-stick Teflon for it’s ” non-stick” performance. Since it was discovered that the chemical in the coating was unsafe, I stay away from it. Now, what about silicone? Is it safe? When I search Yahoo for Eco-friendly bakeware – surprise – I get silicone. Sure, it’s lightweight, easy to use and clean, and has bakers swearing by the results. But is it SAFE? Crissy Trask, GreenMatters.com, did a post on silicone bakeware and has allowed me to share it here. Silicone Bakeware: Just How Eco-Friendly Is It? [...]
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