Three processes have been developed. The first involves using waste to extract monomers that can be reintegrated into production processes. The second focuses on depolymerising waste to produce a functionalised oil, which can either be marketed as-is or reused in formulations. Finally, the third process goes further upstream in the silicone value chain by reconstructing chlorosilanes — chemical compounds that form the basis of all silicone chemistry.
Some of these processes are being pursued within the company Elkem Silicones, including one with an industrialisation project (ROSE UPP Project), and another, requiring further scientific investigation, has been awarded funding under the 2024 ANR AAPG call. One of the processes developed as part of the REPOS project was the subject of a scientific article published in Science (2025, vol. 388, issue 6745, pp. 392–400)
In December 2023, Elkem and the consortium’s work were honoured by CEFIC, the European Chemical Industry Council, which recognised the project as exemplary in the “Circular Economy” category of the Responsible Care 2023 awards
