Business is booming.

Portland pilot program to recycle used pickleballs in plastic waste fight

 

By Faridat Salifu

A new recycling pilot program in Portland, Oregon, the United States, is targeting the growing environmental impact of America’s fastest-rising sport pickleball.

The initiative is a partnership between doorstep recycling service Ridwell and Jumbo’s Pickleball, a popular local venue with locations in Portland and Beaverton.

The program aims to collect used pickleballs, which are typically thrown away once they lose their bounce, contributing to plastic waste in landfills.

According to Ridwell, more than 500 million pickleballs are manufactured globally each year, generating roughly 77 million pounds of plastic waste.

The pilot adds old pickleballs to Ridwell’s list of hard-to-recycle materials, which already includes items like batteries and plastic film.

“Most players don’t realize how short the lifespan of a pickleball is some last only two to three hours for competitive players,” said Hunter Russell, head pro at Jumbo’s Pickleball.

He noted that most of those broken balls end up in the trash.

Ridwell is now working with specialty recycling companies including Merlin Plastics, Hydroblox, and Marble Plastics to repurpose the plastic.

Collected pickleballs will be recycled into new products such as plant containers, piping, and construction materials.

Drop bins are available through July 15 at Jumbo’s Lloyd Center and Beaverton locations, and the collection is open to the public.

Ridwell members can also include used pickleballs in their regular doorstep pickups.

“This is part of our ongoing effort to find new uses for items that people hate throwing away,” said Taylor Loewen, a representative from Ridwell.

Russell added that the partnership with Ridwell reflects Jumbo’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

With millions of players joining the sport each year, advocates say finding recycling solutions is essential to keeping pace with its popularity.

The pilot is part of a broader push to make recreational sports more sustainable, while giving spent equipment a second life off the court.

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