Waste Reduction Week in Canada is from October 21-27, 2024. Across all our branches, including our U.S. and European locations, Elasto Proxy is committed to reducing material waste and accelerating the transition to a circular economy. This is especially important in our industry because the production of synthetic rubber uses petrochemicals and generates hazardous byproducts.
As a fabricator of seals, gaskets, and insulation, Elasto Proxy does not manufacture the rubber materials that we use. Rather, we purchase sheets and rolls of rubber, some of it synthetic, and convert it into customer-specific parts. When it comes to waste reduction, however, we know we still have a role to play. And we welcome it.
Here are three ways in which Elasto Proxy is helping to reduce waste not just during Waste Reduction Week, but all year round.
- Water jet cutting and parts nesting
- Recyclable materials
- Repurposed materials
Keep reading to learn more, and contact us for sealing and insulation solutions.
Water Jet Cutting and Parts Nesting
Elasto Proxy uses water jet cutting to fabricate parts from rubber sheets. Because our water jet machines are closed loop systems, they recycle the water that’s used during cutting. This reduces our water consumption, but we also reduce waste through parts nesting. This involves arranging multiple parts so that they can be cut from a single sheet in the most efficient way possible.
Parts-nesting can be used with parts of the same size and shape, or with parts that have different sizes and shapes. Other fabrication processes, such as die cutting, can also nest parts; however, they can’t match the precision of water jet technology. Less-precise processes create more waste because they remove more material than is necessary. With manual cutting, there are also mis-cuts.
Recyclable Materials
Natural rubber is made from the liquid sap of the rubber tree. Synthetic rubber is made from petrochemicals instead. Both types of rubber are vulcanized with chemicals such as sulfur so that the rubber, or elastomer, forms permanent cross-links between polymer chains. This vulcanized rubber is a thermoset, a type of material that cannot be easily melted or reshaped.
Elasto Proxy fabricates products from natural and synthetic rubber, but we also offer sealing and insulation solutions made from thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). These rubber-like materials can be melted and reshaped when heated, which supports their recycling and reuse. Unlike used EPDM, silicone, or other rubbers, used TPEs can be readily molded into new sheets or extruded into profiles.
Repurposed Materials
Today, TPEs with as much as 75% recycled content are available for automotive applications like interior floor mats. Yet these materials aren’t the only example of recycling in Elasto Proxy’s industry. Thermosets can be costly and challenging to devulcanize, but they’re easy to grind up or shred. The result is a recycled material called crumb rubber that can be used for new applications.
Mechanical recycling won’t revert used rubber to its original properties; however, there’s still a place for it beneath our feet. Today, Elasto Proxy fabricates heavy equipment floor mats from reclaimed rubber. This material doesn’t need to have the same high-performance properties as the tires from which it was made, but floor mats don’t have to withstand high heat and friction.
Design for Sustainability and Waste Reduction Week
Design for Sustainability (DfS) is an approach to product design that prioritizes environmental sustainability. The automotive industry is a leader in this area, but heavy equipment and other industries are also pursuing DfS initiatives. If your company is looking for ways to reduce waste, contact Elasto Proxy during Waste Reduction Week or anytime you need rubber products.