The Effect That Surfboards Have On The Environment

Surfing and nature seem to go hand in hand. The crashing waves, the fresh sea air and the reliance on mother nature for good surf, all suggest that this is the most organic of extreme sports. Environmentalists have recently started rallying however, about the real harms of surfboard production. In actual fact, the production of surfboards has many negative effects on both the environment and peoples health.

Most surfboards nowadays are formed from a core of polyurethane foam. This is then surrounded by one or two layers of fibreglass before covering in a protecting polyester-based resin. The foam usually includes a chemical known as toluene diisocyanate, which is considered by many to be a carcinogen. Its production can also create styrene fumes, exposure to which can leas to to problems with the nervous system, on top of headaches, dizziness and confusion. Additionally, carbon dioxide and VOCs (volatile organic components) are released into the atmosphere during production. The biodegradable quality of most surfboard compounds is quite poor as well.

There has been so much attention on the harmful nature of surfboard production that a Californian company, run by Gordon Clark, who make blank boards recently shut down. Clark’s surfboard factory used to produce close to 90% of all blank boards, but intense pressure from the State of California, he decided he did not want the aggravation and closed the doors. This had led to the predicted shortage of pre-shaped surfboards in the States and so many big companies are in desperate need of alternatives.

The surf capital of England - Cornwall, is indeed founder of one such alternative. The Surfers Against Sewage charity in England helped develop Biofoam, one of the newest products to hit the market. The material is around 65 percent more renewable and emits 35 percent less harmful toxins due to the fact it is 45 percent plant based. Further to this, the old polyester resins have been replaced on their new ‘Ecoboard’ with an 90% natural alternative.

The interest in Ecoboards and the new Biofoam is truly global, with many big companies expressing an interest. It is still early days but they soon hope to start applying their eco-technology to the manufacturing of snowboards also.

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