ReSurf is recycling surfboards into industrial fillers
The harsh reality is that surfboards don’t last forever and the majority end up in landfill. As you can imagine, because of the materials used to manufacture them, they take forever to decompose. A few surfers from Orange County, California have come up with a way to use the surfboards by recycling them into a powder that is then used as a filling agent.
ReSurf are partnering with places like surf shops to act as collection points and then the used boards are transferred to a facility to be pulverised into a powder. This is being done in conjunction with Simba International who have affiliates worldwide with the necessary machinery.
The powder is then used in asphalt and concrete as a filler, with the added benefit of making it lighter and more flexible. Roofing tiles are another product benefitting from recycled surfboards.
The shaping waste is also being used, thus if a board is shaped by a shaper participating in the program and the subsequent owner ends the used board back, then it becomes a 100% recycled blank.
Learn how to donate, participate or find a collection point at ReSurf.
Tom Wegener Surfboards Alaia Surfboard
Surfing, whilst trying to be eco-friendly, does have a problem with the way most boards are manufactured. Not the greenest process in the world.
Enter Tom Wegener from Queensland, Australia and his range of wooden boards. Not for everyone, the Alaia is made from plantation grown Paulownia, a native of China, Laos and Vietnam. The wood is suited to making surfboards because of its warp resistant properties. It is a fast growing tree and the wood sourced by Wegener is often grown organically and any unused parts of the trees are mulched and on-sold. Even the leaves are used as feed for cattle.
The boards are produced using a low energy process and only the small amounts of glue have petro-chemical properties. Everything else, like the linseed oil, gum terpentine and bees wax are natural.
The boards last longer than regular foam/glassed boards and when you finally feel the need for a new one, either hand it on or I’m sure you can come up with a few novel ways to use it rather than toss it out.
More information available at the Tom Wegener Surfboards website.
US Hemp Co Surfboards
US Hemp Co use a Biofoam blank from Homeblown Blanks that contains about 50% of the cake mix ingredients sourced from agricultural products. As we all know, just using agricultural products doesn’t necessarily make something environmentally friendly, however, indications are that Biofoam results in 36% less global warming emissions, a 61% reduction in non-renewable energy use and finally a 23% reduction in the total energy demand.
Green Wave technology 100% hemp is then used to skin the blank. Hemp is the world’s longest and strongest natural fiber. The resin (working on a bio resin) doesn’t soak in as easily and results in a slighlty heavier board. Of course with the stength of hemp this in turn leads to a much stronger board. Always a trade off between strength and weight in most things.
Add to the above a known resistance to the sun, saltwater mildew and bacteria and you should have a longer lasting surfboard.
More information at the US Hemp Co website.
