Although the first Silicone Rubbers were invented in the 1940’s it wasn’t until recently that a Food Grade Silicone was first manufactured and approved by the FDA and the TGA suitable for use with kitchenware.
Since then many products have hit the market incorporating Food Grade Silicone in their design. Although silicone rubber does not pose a health risk when used with kitchenware as it very heat resistant and non reactive with other chemicals. Can it be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way?
An argument can be made that Silicone rubber is environmentally friendly to a certain extent as it can be cleaned and used again and again and so is a viable alternative to the single use plastics that make up a large percentage of plastic pollution.
Being a synthetic rubber Silicone Rubber can not be broken down by bacteria and so does not biodegrade. This make disposal of silicone rubber problematic despite being promoted as an eco friendly alternative to plastic.