Tennis Ball Recycling
Recycling tennis balls is a green solution for any business. Around one billion tennis balls are produced and used worldwide every year. More than 50,000 are hit by the professionals at Wimbledon while thousands more are played with at local sports clubs, on courts in public parks, and in schools.
Sadly, it’s estimated that around 125 million tennis balls go to landfill sites across the world every year. They degrade at a very slow rate, so this is incredibly unsustainable and bad for the environment. Keeping used tennis balls out of landfill is a priority and there are ways to recycle and reuse them.
Learn all about tennis ball recycling – including what, how, and where to get rid of old balls responsibly in the UK. You can speak to one of our expert team if your club, shop, or other business has lots to recycle for a free quote or to ask any questions – call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online.
Can you recycle tennis balls?
You can recycle tennis balls, but the process isn’t currently widespread as it’s labour-intensive, expensive, and challenging. This is because the process to recycle tennis balls involves separating the felt and rubber. These materials then need recycling in their individual streams. Use of the technology to achieve this is limited in the UK currently.
Over time tennis balls lose pressure and their bounce as the gas inside them slowly escapes. Old balls can be repressurised and there are non-pressurised tennis balls available. Still, with any flat used tennis balls they can be recycled with the rubber and fabric repurposed for other uses – rather than rotting in landfill.
How to recycle tennis balls
As a business, you must arrange commercial waste collection of any rubbish you produce by licensed waste carriers – including used tennis balls. Partner with specialist waste management experts such as Business Waste to find the best solution for your old tennis balls. This involves recycling and reusing balls rather than sending them to landfill.
Our nationwide network means we can work out a way to get rid of your old tennis balls responsibly and sustainably. Recycling is the priority, but other methods might be available. You receive a free duty of care certificate that confirms the location and method of disposal for added peace of mind.
There are other ways to get rid of tennis balls from a business without them going to landfill:
- Donate old tennis balls (even those without any bounce) to animal shelters to use when playing with dogs
- Offer them to animal charities, which may use them to create bird feeders or shelters for small creatures like harvest mice
- Let customers take any away for free (to use with their own pets, for example) – though you lose control over what happens to them
How are tennis balls recycled?
The process of recycling tennis balls involves separating the different materials. Old tennis balls are collected and transported to a specialist recycling facility that has the equipment to recycle them. The felt is stripped and removed from the old tennis balls and separated from the rubber.
All the rubber is shredded and ground down and any contaminants removed. This forms crumb rubber, which is used to create new flooring for the likes of tennis courts, playgrounds, and other surfacing applications. It’s estimated that 40,000 old tennis balls can be recycled to form 100 square metres of floor covering.
Who needs to recycle used tennis balls?
Tennis clubs and sports shops are the main places that can end up with lots of used tennis balls to recycle. Any organisation that needs to get rid of some should arrange commercial waste collection for a sustainable disposal method. This includes:
- Sports clubs – lots of used tennis balls that have lost their bounce and pressure.
- Schools – old balls from PE lessons and use on the playground.
- Shops – unsold stock, damaged, and returned tennis balls.
- Charities – donations of tennis balls that can’t be sold or used.
Arrange waste collections
Get a free quote for commercial waste collections of any tennis balls from your business anywhere in the UK. Speak to one of our friendly and expert team and we’ll help work out a sustainable way to get rid of such waste. Out nationwide network means solutions are possible across the country.
Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online today for your free bespoke quote. Discuss your needs and find out how to recycle tennis balls from your business.
Recycling tennis balls FAQs
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Where can I recycle tennis balls?
You can recycle tennis balls as a consumer at many sports shops and clubs. Look out for any tennis ball recycling collection points by the likes of Recycaball. These are in place at hundreds of tennis clubs in the UK. Alternatively, find a local charity or community group that accepts donations of old balls.
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Are tennis balls biodegradable?
Tennis balls are not biodegradable. This is due to the industrial-grade adhesive the balls contain to stick the rubber together and attach the felt. Any tennis balls that end up in landfill could take at least 400 years to decompose and leach chemicals from the adhesive into the ground, so this should be avoided.
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How can you upcycle tennis balls?
These are a few ideas to upcycle tennis balls:
- Cut them in half and hang them from a tree as bird feeders
- Place them under a yoga mat and roll on top as a back massager
- Repurpose the felt for use in arts and craft projects
- Give them to your (or a friend’s) dog to play with
- Slice them in half and attach them to chair or table legs to protect the floor
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