Earth　pressure　balance　(EPB)　shield　is　increasingly　employed　in　metro　tunnel　construction,　and　causes　a　series　of　environmental,　safety,　and　resource　waste　problems　due　to　the　disposal　of　a　considerable　amount　of　muck.　In　situ　recycling　of　EPB　shield　muck　is　an　effective　solution,　whereas　the　foam　is　generated　by　residual　foaming　agents　used　as　the　muck　conditioning　material　during　tunnelling,　which　often　adsorbs　clay　particles　and　overflows　the　flocculation　tank.　To　achieve　defoaming　and　antifoaming　during　the　reuse　of　muck,　this　study　prepared　novel　eco-friendly　silicone　oil–polyether　defoamers　by　condensation,　compounding,　and　shear　emulsification.　Defoaming　and　antifoaming　performances　of　different　defoamers　were　tested　using　a　modified　Ross–Miles　method　and　a　scale　model　of　field　flocculation　systems.　The　results　indicated　that　a　high　efficiency　in　defoam　and　antifoam　was　characterized　by　chemical　grafting　of　nano-SiO2　from　silicone　oils,　uniform　distribution　and　large　size　of　grains,　low　viscosity,　and　surface　tension.　The　defoamer　dosage　of　0.002–0.004　wt%　near　critical　micelle　concentration　(CMC)　for　each　defoamer　is　reasonable.　Overall,　the　prepared　hydroxyl　silicone　oil–glycerol　polyoxypropylene　ether　(H–G)　defoamer　compared　with　other　silicone　oil–polyether　defoamers　and　commercial　defoamers　presents　the　highest　defoaming　and　antifoaming　efficiency.　Considering　the　effects　of　EPB　shield　muck,　the　H–G　defoamer　is　least　affected　by　the　compound　materials　and　increasing　concentration　of　the　commercial　foaming　agent.　Nevertheless,　the　stability　of　the　H–G　emulsion　system　is　weaker　than　that　of　the　dimethyl　silicone　oil–glycerol　polyoxypropylene　ether　(D–G)　emulsion　system　after　1　month　of　sealed　storage.　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.