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RecycleBalls, a nonprofit leader in tennis ball reuse, has teamed up with tennis court brand and Official Surface of the US Open, Laykold, to revolutionize tennis’ environmental impact. The alliance brings together RecycleBalls expertise in collecting and re-purposing used tennis balls with Laykold’s advanced surfacing tech to create the “world’s greenest tennis surface.” Starting with the current US Open, recycled tennis balls will be transformed into next year’s courts, offsetting the yearly generated carbon equivalent of 26,000 cars.
Typically, tennis players open a new can of balls every time they play because of the quick decline in pressure and the lack of consistency in previously played balls. World Bank figures show that over 150 million tennis balls were imported into the USA alone in 2023. These balls, which carry a footprint of 1.2 pounds each, take nearly 400 years to decompose. This results in approximately 125 million used tennis balls ending up in American landfills every year, equating to more than 19,250,000 pounds. That is 20,000 metric tons of methane-producing, near non-decomposable rubber waste.
The partner’s innovative approach to this sustainability issue involves integrating recycled tennis balls into Laykold’s court surfacing systems. Depending on the system chosen, up to 10,000 recycled balls can be used per court. Pairing RecycleBalls’ network of 10,000 facilities, tournaments and volunteers with Laykolds global installation presence, will give tennis balls a second life.
RecycleBalls has been collecting US Open tournament balls since Laykold became the official surface of the tournament in 2020. It is reportedly the first organization in US tennis history with a large-scale collection solution for all tennis balls played in the country. It developed an international collection network and community, and convenient recycling bins that have helped repurpose over 14 million tennis balls into valuable materials for various uses. The nonprofit has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy for innovation in circularity.
“Laykold is an extraordinary partner. When RecycleBalls faced our biggest challenge – finding a sustainable outlet for recycled tennis balls – Laykold stepped up with their signature innovation and unwavering commitment to quality. Together, we’ve not only overcome obstacles but are now poised for exponential impact. Looking ahead, I envision a world where recycling sports equipment is the norm and every ball stays in the game, finding new life on the very courts we play,” said Erin Cunningham, CEO of RecyleBalls.
The collaboration intends to build upon both organizations’ existing work, pushing for significant strides in tennis industry sustainably and showing that environmental responsibility and high-performance sports surfaces can coexist. Their combined goal is for all courts in the US and globally to be recycled from used tennis balls, while also inspiring similar initiatives across other sports.
Source: Laykold
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