How to dispose of used Silica gel?
We often get that question, and interpreting safety data sheets is not always straightforward – so how should you dispose of used silica gel? We have spoken to Renovasjonen IKS and have the answer for you!
Silica gel is neither toxic nor harmful to the environment, but it will not break down and accumulates in water systems – it is therefore important that it is disposed of correctly. For the vast majority of our customers, silica gel is a single-use product, and if you are drying large Boeing passenger planes, used, saturated 1kg silica gel bags pile up quickly, as shown in the picture we received from a customer. In such cases, it can be useful to know what to do with used silica gel.
We asked Renovasjonen IKS how to dispose of silica gel, and the answer is very simple: "– This is residual waste, plain and simple." This is also the correct answer if the silica gel has ONLY been used to dry water (for example, from air humidity). If you have used it to dry chemicals, it must be disposed of according to how those chemicals are classified!
It is also important to note that even though it is considered residual waste in the Stavanger region, there may be different local regulations in other parts of the country; it is therefore important to check with your local waste management company on how they handle silica gel.
The data sheet states that silica gel should be recycled, but how do you do that if it is considered residual waste? This is because silica gel can be regenerated and reused. To reuse silica gel, you must dry it to remove the moisture it has adsorbed – and you can do this by baking the bags in an oven at 120°C for 1-2 hours. You will never be able to achieve the same effectiveness as new silica gel by drying it, and if you have container after container of used silica gel, it might be a project that doesn't pay off in the long run..
To summarize: Silica gel that is saturated with water can be regenerated or disposed of as residual waste (in the Stavanger region; always check local regulations). Silica gel saturated with chemicals should be disposed of as the chemical it has adsorbed.
If you want to read the full safety data sheet, it is available on all silica gel products. Click here to go directly to the data sheet. We have posted all safety and technical data sheets for all products in the online store; see the data sheet tab on each individual product!
