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> 3. Regarding the environmental friendliness of our coatings: Our product is based on silicone. It has been shown in the scientific literature that silicone ca
by JaRail 7y ago
> 3. Regarding the environmental friendliness of our coatings: Our product is based on silicone. It has been shown in the scientific literature that silicone can be decomposed naturally in soil within 4-7 days. It breaks down in silica, water, and carbon dioxide.
"Based on silicone" does not mean "degrades like silicone." It also doesn't mean your coating will behave like the silicone "in the scientific literature." If I toss a silicone spoon in the ocean, it won't be gone in a week. You can make plastic out of wood. That doesn't make it biodegradable. There are different kinds of silicone. Some degrade quickly, some don't. Some is toxic as it degrades. It can accumulate in fish like plastic, etc.
Without knowing how the coating wears off (in chunks when toilet is cleaned, etc), it's hard to compare. Also, if it's not actually silicone, we shouldn't be pretending it acts like it is.
Have any independent environmental assessment been done? What happens when you drink it? What happens when you feed it to fish?
- jacobwilliamroy 7y agoI also have the same concerns about your product.
- stfp 7y agoLikewise. At massive scale, conserving water by adding more artificial/industrial runoff doesn't seem like a good approach, at all. This version of the world is behind us.
- NullPrefix 7y agoGiven that the goal of this product is to reduce the water usage, it would mean that you not only add something to the water, but also reduce the total amount of waste water, thus increasing the concentration.
- tapland 7y agoCan any remains be sorted out at common water treatment facilities?
- JaRail 7y agoGenerally small particles like micro-plastics are too small to be filtered by treatment facilities. My assumption here would be no. It could be that a chemical/heating process in a treatment facility could accelerate the breakdown. That's just pure speculation though since we don't know enough to judge.
- mgleason_3 7y agoI have concerns because the product descriptions and images don't say the amount anywhere or how long it should be expected to last and under what conditions - kinda feels scammy. For example, is it 1oz or 20oz? Honestly, it looks like a tiny sprayer - maybe 1oz? How far will it go? Will that 1oz. treat 1 sink/toilet or 10? How long will it last? I did see that the article says "...researchers also predict the coating could last for about 500 flushes". OK it "could" last 500, or it could last 1. The real question is how long "did" it last when you tested it and what should a normal person expect? Does urine affect it's longevity differently from poop? What happens if you use a toilet brush on it, or use various cleaning chemicals - will that shorten it's usable life? e.g. from https://www.spotlessmaterials.com/store/p10/Sink_%26_Fixture_Coating.html https://www.spotlessmaterials.com/store/p10/Sink_%26_Fixture...: "Sink & Fixture Coating SKU: S008191114 $15.00 Our Sink & Fixture Coatings are popular amongst our early users. These coatings can be applied to any ceramic surface and are specially formulated for high-touch ceramic surfaces like sinks, toilet exteriors, etc. After application, you’ll feel the difference. Our coatings are ultra smooth to the touch. It’s that same smoothness that makes the surfaces easier to clean. With these coatings, cleaning ceramic surfaces required less time, effort, and cleaning chemicals. Do not apply coating to floors -- it is slippery. This coating can be refreshed with our Maintenance Spray."